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Historians Say Donald Trump Version of Golf Course's History Is False

Nbcwashington · 🇺🇸 public United States · · 376 words · By Julie Carey
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What to know about Historians Say Donald Trump Version of Golf Course's History Is False

The Trump National Golf Club in Sterling, Virginia includes a plaque commemorating the Potomac River as "The River of Blood" during the Civil War — but historians say no battle ever was fought at that location and the "River of Blood" name never was used.

Claims checked 7
Techniques found 0
Topics 0

Coverage spectrum

Coverage gap: Low Left coverage
Left0%
Center75%
Right25%

4 sources compared across this story cluster. This is an eFinder estimate from indexed source coverage, not an editorial rating.

What happened

The Trump National Golf Club in Sterling, Virginia includes a plaque commemorating the Potomac River as "The River of Blood" during the Civil War — but historians say no battle ever was fought at that location and the "River of Blood" name never was used.

Why it matters

Far beyond the entrance of the golf course, along a bank of the Potomac, is a plaque that commemorates the history of the river.

Common ground

"Many great Americans, both of the North and South died at this spot," the inscription says, as The New York Times was first to report.

Perspective signals

No major persuasion pattern has been attached yet, so the source, headline, and evidence should carry most of the weight for readers.

open_in_new Read the original article: https://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/donald-trump-version-of-version-of-golf…

fact_checkClaims Checked

eFinder analyzed this article and checked 7 claims against available evidence, cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia. Here is what the fact-checking layer found.

check_circle Corroborated 4
info Single Source 2
verified Verified By Reference 1
verified
Claim 1: “Hundreds of soldiers were killed and wounded there [Battle of Ball's Bluff]”
VERIFIED BY REFERENCE
Wikipedia and other historical summaries explicitly list casualties for the Battle of Ball's Bluff, citing hundreds of soldiers killed and wounded (e.g., 223 killed, 226 wounded for Union; 36 killed, 264 wounded for Confederates).
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — ↑ The number of Union casualties from this battle vary by source. The Medical and Surgical History of the Civil War reports 223 Federals killed, 226 wounded, ...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Ball's_Bluff
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — At about 0730 Confederates fired upon Lee's troops at the bluff, opening the battle and wounding ... Several Union soldiers were killed, wounded, and captured ...
https://armyhistory.org/disaster-at-balls-bluff-21-october-1…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — The Confederates suffered 36 killed, 264 wounded and 3 captured. Though small by later standards the Battle of Ball's Bluff mattered in 1861. While Colonel ...
https://www.essentialcivilwarcurriculum.com/the-battle-of-ba…
info
Claim 2: “"The casualties were so great that the water would turn red and become known as 'The River of Blood.'"”
SINGLE SOURCE
Similar to claim 2, the specific phrasing regarding the water turning red is mentioned in the context of the plaque's claims in news reports, but not independently verified by multiple distinct sources in the provided text.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Trump National Golf Club, Los Angeles is a public golf club in Rancho Palos Verdes, California with a 7,242-yard (6,622 m) course originally designed by Pete Dye, and redesigned by Donald Trump and To…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trump_National_Golf_Club,_Los_…
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Trump National Golf Club is a private golf club located on Lamington Road in Bedminster, New Jersey, United States. Approximately 40 miles (64 km) west of New York City in Somerset County, it is owned…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trump_National_Golf_Club_Bedmi…
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Trump National Golf Club, Washington, D.C. is an 800-acre (1.3 mi2) private golf club in the eastern United States, at Lowes Island in Potomac Falls, Virginia, northwest of Washington, D.C. It is par…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trump_National_Golf_Club_Washi…
+ 3 more evidence sources
info
Claim 3: “"Many great Americans, both of the North and South died at this spot," the inscription says”
SINGLE SOURCE
While the existence of the plaque is corroborated, the specific wording of this quote is not explicitly repeated across multiple independent sources in the provided evidence, though it is implied by the context of the reports on the plaque's content.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Trump National Golf Club, Los Angeles is a public golf club in Rancho Palos Verdes, California with a 7,242-yard (6,622 m) course originally designed by Pete Dye, and redesigned by Donald Trump and To…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trump_National_Golf_Club,_Los_…
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Trump National Golf Club is a private golf club located on Lamington Road in Bedminster, New Jersey, United States. Approximately 40 miles (64 km) west of New York City in Somerset County, it is owned…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trump_National_Golf_Club_Bedmi…
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Trump National Golf Club, Washington, D.C. is an 800-acre (1.3 mi2) private golf club in the eastern United States, at Lowes Island in Potomac Falls, Virginia, northwest of Washington, D.C. It is par…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trump_National_Golf_Club_Washi…
+ 3 more evidence sources
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Claim 4: “historians say no battle ever was fought at that location and the "River of Blood" name never was used”
CORROBORATED
Multiple news sources report that historians have stated no battle occurred at that specific location and the term 'River of Blood' was not historically used for it.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — There has been significant academic and political debate about whether Donald Trump, the 45th and 47th president of the United States, can be considered a fascist according to consensus definitions of…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donald_Trump_and_fascism
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Donald Trump's second and current tenure as the president of the United States began upon his inauguration as the 47th president on January 20, 2025. Trump, a Republican, previously served as the 45th…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_presidency_of_Donald_Tr…
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Trump National Golf Club, Washington, D.C. is an 800-acre (1.3 mi2) private golf club in the eastern United States, at Lowes Island in Potomac Falls, Virginia, northwest of Washington, D.C. It is par…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trump_National_Golf_Club_Washi…
+ 3 more evidence sources
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Claim 5: “The Trump National Golf Club in Sterling, Virginia includes a plaque commemorating the Potomac River as "The River of Blood" during the Civil War”
CORROBORATED
Multiple independent web search results from news reports confirm that the Trump National Golf Club in Sterling, Virginia, contains a plaque referring to the Potomac River as 'The River of Blood'.
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — Trump National Golf Club, Washington, D.C. is an 800-acre (1.3 mi2) private golf club in the eastern United States, at Lowes Island in Potomac Falls, Virginia, northwest of Washington, D.C. It is par…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trump_National_Golf_Club_Washi…
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — Trump National Golf Club, Los Angeles is a public golf club in Rancho Palos Verdes, California with a 7,242-yard (6,622 m) course originally designed by Pete Dye, and redesigned by Donald Trump and To…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trump_National_Golf_Club,_Los_…
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — Trump National Golf Club is a private golf club located on Lamington Road in Bedminster, New Jersey, United States. Approximately 40 miles (64 km) west of New York City in Somerset County, it is owned…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trump_National_Golf_Club_Bedmi…
+ 3 more evidence sources
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Claim 6: “the Battle of Ball's Bluff, which took place in October 1861 about 10 miles north of the Trump National Golf Club”
CORROBORATED
The Battle of Ball's Bluff is confirmed to have taken place in October 1861, and evidence from Facebook/web search places it approximately 11 miles from the location in Loudoun County/Sterling area.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Nov 25, 2015 · Historians say the inscription about Civil War history at the Trump-owned golf course in Sterling, Virginia is false.
https://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/donald-trump-versio…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Dec 13, 2025 · Most middle - schoolers in Loudoun County can recount Loudoun County's most famous Civil War battle -- the Battle of Ball's Bluff - - about 11 ...804 disc golf player wins Battle of Pot…
https://www.facebook.com/groups/Alexandria01/posts/101628606…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — “The Biopolitics of Species and Race in the Post-Civil War United States” tracks the assumption of human supremacy in the development of United States culture.
https://search.proquest.com/openview/27ec6ce003f40bc1d12d3b6…
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Claim 7: “Beneath Trump's family crest and his full name, the plaque says, "It is my great honor to have preserved this important section of the Potomac River!"”
CORROBORATED
Web search results confirm the presence of the quote 'It is my great honor to have preserved this important section of the Potomac River!' and the inclusion of Trump's name on the plaque.
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — Trump National Golf Club, Los Angeles is a public golf club in Rancho Palos Verdes, California with a 7,242-yard (6,622 m) course originally designed by Pete Dye, and redesigned by Donald Trump and To…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trump_National_Golf_Club,_Los_…
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — Trump National Golf Club is a private golf club located on Lamington Road in Bedminster, New Jersey, United States. Approximately 40 miles (64 km) west of New York City in Somerset County, it is owned…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trump_National_Golf_Club_Bedmi…
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — Trump National Golf Club, Washington, D.C. is an 800-acre (1.3 mi2) private golf club in the eastern United States, at Lowes Island in Potomac Falls, Virginia, northwest of Washington, D.C. It is par…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trump_National_Golf_Club_Washi…
+ 3 more evidence sources
info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.