Federal court blocks 15-month closure of East Potomac Golf Course

A federal judge in Washington extended a preliminary injunction on Monday to stop the Trump administration from renovating the East Potomac Golf Course. U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes ordered the government to provide ten days' written notice before making any changes that cannot be undone while the lawsuit is active. This legal hold prevents the immediate execution of a 15-month closure plan that the president announced on social media on October 18.

The conflict escalated when workers removed at least 400 trees over a recent holiday weekend with minimal warning to the plaintiffs. In her written decision, Reyes noted that the court is not the Lorax and does not speak for the trees, but for the rule of law. She expressed astonishment at the government's request to ignore the president's public statements about the project's scope.

The lawsuit was filed by the D.C. Preservation League and two individual golfers. They argue that the renovation work is causing irreversible damage to the 106-year-old site. The administration had planned to close the course starting November 15 to redevelop the area. The president posted on October 19 that construction would begin immediately, a move that intensified the legal scrutiny of the project.

Reyes, nominated by President Joe Biden, had previously suspended work until October 26. She now describes the case as having evolved from a dispute about golf into a complex legal challenge. The judge said the court must reconcile the president's assertions with the sworn testimony of government employees and arguments from senior Department of Justice attorneys. She characterized the situation as a good walk spoiled that became more complicated than expected.

The government sought to have Reyes recuse herself from the case, accusing her of egregious behavior during an emergency hearing. The judge rejected that motion and maintained her oversight of the project. This ruling is part of a wider effort by the administration to alter Washington's historic sites, which includes plans for a White House ballroom, a large arch, and adding the president's name to the Kennedy Center.

The administration's push for these changes has created friction with the judiciary over the pace of capital projects. Reyes's order requires the government to pause irreversible modifications until the court can fully review the claims. The ten-day notice period provides a specific procedural barrier to the immediate changes requested by the executive branch. The status of the 15-month closure plan now depends on how the government complies with this new notice requirement.