Federal judge temporarily blocks Trump administration from closing East Potomac Park
The ruling keeps the public golf course open while the lawsuit continues, and the judge said the closure plan was likely pretextual, citing 30-page findings.
- On Saturday, U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes issued a temporary restraining order blocking the Trump administration from closing East Potomac Park and East Potomac Golf Course on Sunday, preserving public access through November 28, 2026.
- President Donald Trump planned to close the course for a 15-month renovation into a "World Championship Public Facility," but preservationists and local golfers sued in February, arguing the project violates federal environmental laws and threatens public access.
- Judge Reyes found the administration's stated safety justifications "pretextual" and determined the government violated federal law "to meet an arbitrary deadline" by failing to solicit required public comment before closure.
- The order requires the government "cannot use the absence of golf operations as a reason to exclude the public," though the Justice Department vowed it will "always vociferously defend" the administration's agenda in court.
- Reyes appointed former U.S. Attorney Jessie Liu to investigate whether government officials misled the court, an inquiry reflecting institutional strain as legal battles over Trump's capital renovation projects intensify.
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280 Articles
The U.S. Federal Court temporarily suspended Donald Trump's plans to close the historic park and golf course in Washington.
The golf course is one of several projects promoted by Trump, who, since his return to the White House in January 2025, seeks to leave his mark on the U.S. capital
US President Donald Trump has criticized a judge's ruling requiring a park in downtown Washington to remain open to the public.
The U.S. president wants to re-engineer East Potomac Park to make it a site that can host very high-level golf competitions. His administration had called for the closure of this 160-hectare green space on Sunday.
US President Donald Trump has criticized a judge's ruling requiring a park in downtown Washington to remain open to the public.
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