President Donald Trump says his plan to overhaul a historic public golf course in Washington, D.C., is moving forward, despite a federal judge’s order halting further work at the site.
In a Truth Social post late Monday, Trump said the East Potomac Golf Course would close as scheduled on Nov. 15 for renovation, citing competitive, safety, modernization and aesthetic reasons. He also said the administration would immediately appeal the decision.
The president argued the judge had absolutely no right to hold up what he called a very important and beautiful project.
U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes granted a preliminary injunction Monday barring the Interior Department and National Park Service from removing or damaging additional trees while litigation continues. The administration must also give at least 10 business days’ notice before making irreversible changes to the course. The injunction was sought by a preservationist group and a group of golfers.
Reyes rejected the administration’s argument that the order would infringe on presidential authority, noting it applies to federal agencies rather than Trump himself.
The fight centers on the removal of hundreds of trees earlier this month. Justice Department lawyers argued that clearing more than 400 trees was routine maintenance meant to restore the course’s original design. The judge, however, wrote that the government bulldozed hundreds of trees on Oct. 10 without meaningful notice to the plaintiffs or the court.
Trump has brought in renowned golf course architect Tom Fazio to transform the capital’s most heavily used public course into an 18-hole championship facility that he hopes will draw professional tournaments to downtown Washington. The president has said the course would close for about 15 months. A rendering Trump posted would also remove Ohio Drive, which loops around the course, so the layout can move closer to the Potomac River.
Critics note the plan would eliminate walking and biking trails at East Potomac Park and have raised questions about the project’s feasibility and affordability for golfers.
The legal battle has grown increasingly heated. Trump has repeatedly attacked Reyes, a Biden appointee, calling her a “crazed lunatic” last week and posting photos of what he described as the course’s poor condition.
Skye Perryman, president and CEO of Democracy Forward, which represents the plaintiffs, called the ruling a big win that would protect the park from further irreparable harm.
The administration has been working to reshape the course for nearly a year. The Interior Department previously terminated the lease of National Links Trust, the nonprofit that operated three public golf courses in Washington, including East Potomac. The White House has said it wants to redevelop the city’s public courses, which a spokesperson called “decrepit,” to restore their glamour and prestige.
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