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Judge Halts Trump's Renovation Plans for East Potomac Golf Course
· Confirmed
In Short: A federal judge has issued a preliminary injunction blocking the Trump administration's renovation plans for the East Potomac Golf Course in Washington, D.C.
A federal judge has issued a preliminary injunction temporarily halting Donald Trump’s administration’s renovation plans for the East Potomac Golf Course, granting relief to golfers fighting to preserve the public park.
The judge, Ana Reyes, ordered the administration to provide 10 days of written notice before making any “irreparable modification” to the property while the lawsuit remains active.
While she permitted routine maintenance to continue, the judge emphasized she did not want the court to be blindsided by bulldozers.
Groups that filed the lawsuit hailed the preliminary injunction as a win, though the judge acknowledged the federal government could still appeal the ruling.
Reyes previously ordered the administration to suspend work on the project until at least Oct. 26.
The judge determined the administration likely violated federal environmental law by cutting down trees at the golf course without conducting an environmental review on the renovation plan.
In addition to barring further tree removal, the order requires the federal government to provide a written notice 10 days in advance of “any irreparable modification to any forms or features of East Potomac Park.”
The indefinite block means Trump likely won’t see the planned restoration work on the golf course start by Nov. 15.
Trump announced Sunday on Truth Social that the administration has developed a plan to redevelop the East Potomac Golf Links course in Washington, which has been at the center of a legal battle over his renovation plans.
The proposed renovation, though, has already been challenged in court by a preservation group and two D.C. residents.
The judge also referenced the administration’s removal of more than 400 trees from the grounds, according to the provided account.
The judge sharply rebuked administration lawyers over President Trump's apparent intent to defy the court and proceed with a major renovation of the historic East Potomac Golf Links in Washington, D.C.
What this adds
The judge's decision adds to the ongoing legal challenges against the Trump administration's plans, emphasizing the need for environmental reviews and public process.
What's confirmed
- Under the order, the administration must provide 10 days of written notice before making any "irreparable modification" to any "forms or features" of the property while the lawsuit remains active.
- U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes issued a preliminary injunction that temporarily bars the government from removing or damaging any additional trees on the East Potomac Golf Course.
- A federal judge in Washington issued a longer-term injunction Monday blocking the Trump administration from removing or damaging any additional trees on the grounds of East Potomac Golf Links.
What's still developing
- Fox News legal analyst Gregg Jarrett evaluates the federal indictment of former FBI Director James Comey for an alleged threatening social media post on ‘Hannity.’ An Obama-appointed New York federal judge ruled Monday that the Trump Justice Department unlawfully fired former FBI Director James Comey's daughter Maurene, rejecting the administration's sweeping claim of executive authority and warning that its argument threatened the nation's constitutional balance of power.
- The elder Comey later came under fire for posting a photo of seashells on a beach arranged to form the sentiment "86 47" – with critics saying "86" was a reference to killing something, such as in restaurant lingo, and "47" referred to Trump, the 47th president.
- The judge, nominated in 2011, previously served as a federal prosecutor in the same Manhattan U.S.
- In 2001, Reyes served as a law clerk to Judge Amalya L.
- Trump said the Interior Department worked with golf course architect Tom Fazio to develop “a plan to build a World Class Championship Golf Course on the site of the current East Potomac Golf Links, located in Washington, D.C.” “When completed, it will be open to the Public while, at the same time, designed to the Highest Level of Golf and able to hold World Class Tournaments such as the U.S. Open, the PGA Championship, the Ryder Cup, and the Presidents Cup,” Trump said.
- U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes issued a preliminary injunction Monday, granting a request from plaintiffs who argue the administration intends to replace the century-old course with a championship-style facility.
- "We are closing the East Potomac Golf Course Site as scheduled on November 15th in order to renovate and rebuild for Competitive (with other such projects!), Safety, Modernization, and Aesthetic reasons. We believe this Project is totally 'as of right,' and that the judge does not have the Constitutional Right to 'ask for or receive notices,' which are time-consuming, unnecessary, expensive, and unconstitutional. We will immediately appeal this decision," Trump wrote.