Trump to Close East Potomac Golf Course for 15 Months Despite Court Order
President Trump announced the 15-month closure of Washington's historic East Potomac Golf Course starting Nov. 15, citing unsafe trees and a failing seawall, even as a federal judge has paused his redevelopment plans and ordered the government to clarify its position.
President Donald Trump said Sunday that he will close the East Potomac Golf Course, a 106-year-old public links near the White House, for 15 months beginning Nov. 15 to rebuild it into what he described as one of the finest courses in the world. The announcement, made on social media and accompanied by an artist's rendering of the redesign, came days after a federal judge ordered a halt to the administration's redevelopment work until at least Oct. 26.
Trump did not mention the legal fight in his post. He said the finished course would remain open to the public while being designed to host major tournaments, including the U.S. Open, the PGA Championship, the Ryder Cup and the Presidents Cup. He described the current layout as «old, broken, dilapidated, and of no further use or effect,» pointing to falling trees that he called «disease infested» and a «collapsing and hazardous seawall.»
The closure plan collides with an active lawsuit filed by the D.C. Preservation League and two golfers who argue the makeover would change the character of a national park and recreation facility meant for residents of all income levels. U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes paused the tree removal last week after scolding the government for starting large-scale cutting over a holiday weekend with little notice to the court or the plaintiffs.
After Trump's post appeared, Reyes ordered the government to notify her by 8 p.m. Sunday whether its position had changed from a Friday court filing that said «at most» the president had given «preliminary thought» to the rebuilding plan and that «there is no final agency action.» A hearing is scheduled for Monday, when the judge is also expected to address the administration's request that she be replaced on the case over what it called «egregious» behavior from the bench.
Democracy Forward, which represents the plaintiffs, said the course is a community asset that must be protected. «Our litigation is intended to protect this community jewel for the people and communities it serves and we will continue to work with our plaintiffs to defend it from unlawful and harmful intrusion,» said Skye Perryman, the group's president and CEO. The plaintiffs over the weekend asked Reyes for a longer-lasting preliminary injunction or a stay.
The golf course is one piece of a broader effort by Trump to remake prominent sites around Washington, including the White House, the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and a planned massive arch. Several of those projects have also drawn court challenges. In the case of the golf course, debris from the demolition of the White House East Wing, which is being cleared for a ballroom project, has been dumped on the grounds; the National Park Service has said the material tested positive for lead, chromium and other toxic metals.
Trump argued that the course was originally famous for having no trees and open views of the city, but is now «completely overgrown, dysfunctional, and unsafe.» Opponents counter that turning it into a high-end course would make it less affordable and alter the character of a space that has long been open to Washingtonians of all incomes. The legal battle returns to court Monday, with the administration seeking to remove the judge and the plaintiffs pressing for stronger protection against further construction.
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