Federal judge Ana Reyes has temporarily barred the Trump administration from making further alterations to East Potomac Golf Links in Washington, D.C., rebuking government lawyers for contradicting the president’s social media announcements and ordering them to clarify whether any plan exists to close the course on or around November 15, 2026 amid an ongoing legal dispute over course renovations.
A federal courtroom in Washington has become the unlikely arena for a high-stakes clash between executive announcements and judicial oversight. U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes issued a 70-page preliminary injunction barring the government from removing or damaging any trees at the East Potomac Golf Links while a lawsuit challenging the overhaul works its way through the court system. The ruling puts an immediate halt to work that had already seen workers fell hundreds of trees over a holiday weekend.
Judge Reyes Rebukes Justice Department Over Conflicting Statements
The legal battle took a sharp turn when the court found itself forced to reconcile public pronouncements from President Donald Trump with the sworn testimony of government employees and senior attorneys. The tension climaxed when Justice Department lawyers found themselves defending a position that directly challenged the administration’s stated timeline. Acting National Park Service director Jessica Bowron also testified during the proceedings that she was not aware of closure plans, adding to the conflicting statements presented to the bench.
Rarely, if ever, has the United States Department of Justice urged a federal court not to believe the sitting president.
U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes
Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward told the court that no plan existed to close the facility on November 15, directly contradicting statements posted on social media by Trump. The legal challenge itself was brought by the D.C. Preservation League alongside two golfers, who argued that the administration violated the National Environmental Policy Act by failing to analyze the project’s impacts.
DOJ Filing Confirms November 15 Closure Plans
The standoff shifted late Wednesday when the Justice Department filed notice confirming that the National Park Service will close East Potomac Park south of Buckeye Drive, including the golf course, on November 15, 2026. The department also stated in the notice that the National Park Service would submit a design proposal for the new course by architect Tom Fazio to the National Capital Planning Commission for consideration at its December meeting.
Estimates for the renovation of East Potomac have run as high as $50 million. Trump maintained that the redeveloped course would remain affordable for locals, comparing the vision to renowned public venues like Torrey Pines and Bethpage Black.
Safety Warnings
As the legal maneuvering continued, Trump escalated his rhetoric on social media, asserting that the existing course conditions posed severe safety risks, describing the facility as highly dangerous, dilapidated, and unsightly. He claimed that a White House staffer was struck violently in the chest by a stray golf ball and vowed to hold Judge Reyes fully responsible for any injuries or fatalities on the property.
To have to give advanced notices to a judge who has no expertise in Golf, Architecture, Landscaping, Construction, or anything else having to do with building such a World Class Project, is not fair, appropriate, or Constitutional.
President Donald Trump
Skye Perryman, representing the group Democracy Forward, stated that this is a tactic to act quickly to irrevocably alter a landmark to advance a project.
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