Federal judge pauses East Potomac Park golf course overhaul

U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes issued a preliminary injunction on Monday that temporarily blocks the Trump administration from further altering East Potomac Park. The ruling halts the federal government from cutting, pruning, or damaging trees on the municipal golf course without a specific court order. Reyes also mandated that the administration provide at least ten business days of written notice before closing any part of the park or making irreversible modifications while the lawsuit continues.

The legal action follows the government's removal of 430 trees on the golf course in mid-October. Officials gave less than 24 hours' notice before beginning the work. This move triggered a series of tense court hearings where government lawyers claimed the tree clearing was unrelated to the championship golf course renovations President Trump has promoted. However, Reyes found these explanations inconsistent with the president's own public statements.

In a 70-page opinion, Reyes noted the unusual position of the Department of Justice urging the court to doubt the sitting president. She stated, "Rarely, if ever, has the United States Department of Justice urged a federal court not to believe the sitting president. And yet, here we are." The judge determined that a final renovation plan, referred to by plaintiffs as the Washington National Plan, existed well before October 15, 2026, despite administration denials.

Skyle Perryman, president of the nonprofit Democracy Forward, which represents the plaintiffs, welcomed the decision. The D.C. Preservation League and two local golfers filed the suit earlier this year to protect the course. Perryman said, "We are grateful the court intervened to stop the Trump-Vance administration's greed and lawlessness while the case continues, and we are eager to argue the case in court."

President Trump responded to the ruling in a post on Truth Social late Monday. He stated that the Department of the Interior will appeal the decision. Trump maintained that construction must begin on November 15 to keep the park closed for only 15 months. He argued that the judge lacks expertise in golf, architecture, and construction, adding that the court has "absolutely no right to hold up this very important and beautiful Project."

Reyes addressed the administration's shifting legal arguments in her opinion. She rejected a new claim that the renovations cannot be reviewed under the Administrative Procedure Act, calling it a change of course that the court would not credit. The judge found that the Interior Department likely violated the National Environmental Protection Act by segmenting the review of the plan's environmental effects into smaller projects.

The ruling highlights a conflict between the president's public timeline and the sworn testimony of government officials. Reyes pointed out that officials told the court they were unaware of a final plan hours after Trump posted online that work would begin immediately. She concluded that the court speaks for the rule of law, not for the trees, as the parties prepare to litigate the case fully.

The proposed redesign would combine the park's three existing courses into one championship venue spanning the entire peninsula. The plan appears to remove the perimeter road used by runners and cyclists. Trump said the new course would host major events like the Ryder Cup but would remain open to the public at a reduced rate for Washington residents.