By Karim Hammam
U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes on Tuesday ordered the Justice Department to clarify whether a plan exists to close East Potomac Golf Course on or around Nov. 15, 2026, after President Donald Trump's social media posts created confusion about the historic course's fate.
Judge Demands Clarification on Closure Date
The order came in response to Trump's Monday post criticizing Reyes' temporary injunction that halted work at East Potomac Park. The injunction was issued largely because of previous Trump announcements via social media that plans were completed and construction would begin next month, with the facility closed for 15 months. The following day, Trump changed the timetable to "immediately."
Contradictory Social Media Posts
Reyes wrote that rarely has the DOJ urged a federal court not to believe the sitting president, listing several claims Trump made about the project. She ordered Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward Jr. to appear in court Friday or Monday for a status hearing.
Injunction Halts Tree Removal
The preliminary injunction temporarily bars the government from removing or damaging additional trees on the course and requires 10 days' written notice before any irreparable modification to the course's forms or features while the lawsuit proceeds.
Broader Renovation Plans Challenged
The plaintiffs, the DC Preservation League and two golfers, argue the work is causing irreversible damage. Critics say Trump's plan would make the course unaffordable for the public and destroy other site uses. At a previous hearing, the judge criticized the government after workers cut down at least 400 trees over a holiday weekend with little notice. The renovation is part of Trump's broader campaign to leave his imprint on Washington's historic landscape, including a White House ballroom, a massive arch, and a National Garden of American Heroes in West Potomac Park. Multiple lawsuits challenge those plans, and judges have issued injunctions or restraining orders in several cases.
