President Donald Trump on Sunday announced plans to close and rebuild the East Potomac Golf Links in Washington for about 15 months, starting Nov. 15, even as a federal judge has ordered parts of the project halted and is weighing the government's position.4,5,6,7
In a post on Truth Social, Trump wrote that "restoration work will begin" on Nov. 15 and that the course would reopen in about 15 months as "one of the Best and Most Spectacular Golf Courses anywhere in the World." The post included an artist's rendering of the redesign and did not acknowledge the legal fight. "When completed, it will be open to the Public while, at the same time, designed to the Highest Level of Golf and able to hold World Class Tournaments such as the U.S. Open, the PGA Championship, the Ryder Cup, and the Presidents Cup," Trump wrote.6,7
Trump tied the project to the Department of the Interior. "I am pleased to announce that the Department of the Interior, under the auspices of Secretary Doug Burgum, and in conjunction with famed Golf Course Architect, Tom Fazio, has developed a plan to build a World…" he said in a post cited by The Hill.4
Trump also argued that the existing course needs major work. "The current Course is old, broken, dilapidated, and of no further use or effect. It is in very poor condition, with falling, dangerous, and disease infested trees and, importantly, a collapsing and hazardous seawall," he wrote. He added that when the course was built it "was famous for no trees, with views of Washington, D.C., for all to see, but now, it is completely overgrown, dysfunctional, and unsafe." Trump made similar arguments to justify his plans for the Kennedy Center.7
The 106-year-old park and course has been the subject of many emergency hearings as the president has sought to renovate it. The course has been open to Washingtonians of all income levels, but opponents of Trump's plans to make it a high-end course have argued that it will alter the character of the space and make it less affordable. The renovation is one of several Trump projects in Washington, including a ballroom at the White House, the installation of his name on the Kennedy Center and a large arch, that have been challenged in court.6,7
U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes, who was appointed to the federal bench by President Joe Biden in 2023, had ruled earlier this year that the federal government must give notice before any substantive construction work could proceed. After the government removed about 500 trees from the site the day after a court filing in early October, Reyes ordered a halt to the removals and called the episode "inexcusable," according to The Guardian. The government said the removals would improve safety and restore the course's original design and were part of a 2019 plan that predates Trump's ambitions for the course.6
The reports differ on the scope of the judge's order. The Guardian described it as a halt to tree removal, while the Associated Press wrote that Reyes ordered a halt to the redevelopment plans until at least Oct. 26, after scolding the government for starting a large-scale tree removal over a holiday weekend with little notice to the court or the plaintiffs.6,7
In an Oct. 9 court filing, the administration had asked Reyes to dismiss the litigation, saying it was premature because the "proposed project remains at an early and conceptual stage." A filing on Friday said "at most" Trump had given "preliminary thought" to the rebuilding plan and that "there is no final agency action." Reyes ordered the government to tell her by 8 p.m. ET on Sunday whether its position had changed. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment on whether Trump's announcement would conflict with her directives.6,7
NBC News's headline described a Justice Department statement to the judge that the golf course would not close, despite Trump's insistence after the trees were cut down. That account differs from the closure the president announced in his post, which the Associated Press and The Guardian described. Further details of the Justice Department's statement were not immediately available.3,6,7
Democracy Forward, which represents the plaintiffs challenging the renovation, responded that the course is part of a national park and recreation facility meant for everyone to enjoy. "Our litigation is intended to protect this community jewel for the people and communities it serves and we will continue to work with our plaintiffs to defend it from unlawful and harmful intrusion," Skye Perryman, the group's president and chief executive, said in a statement.6,7
The DC Preservation League filed a lawsuit in February to halt the administration's takeover of the golf course, alleging that it would violate environmental laws and "irreparably destroy a priceless piece of American history." The Associated Press reported that the case was also brought by two golfers opposing the construction. A hearing in the case is scheduled for Monday.6,7
On Friday, the government also filed a motion to disqualify Reyes and move the case to another judge. The Associated Press reported that the administration questioned her impartiality and cited what it called "egregious" behavior from the bench at an emergency hearing on Oct. 12. Court records cited by The Guardian quote the government as saying her actions showed "deep-seated and unequivocal antipathy" and "open hostility" toward the administration. The plaintiffs oppose the motion.6,7
At the Monday hearing, the judge is expected to address the request that she step aside. Reyes has ordered key members of the administration to testify about the recent tree cutting and whether those actions are tied to the president's plans for the course. Over the weekend, the plaintiffs asked her to grant a longer-term preliminary injunction and or a stay.6,7