East Potomac Golf Course: Judge Reyes Extends Block on Renovations

U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes extended a court order on Monday that halts the Trump administration’s renovation of the East Potomac Golf Course. The preliminary injunction prohibits the government from removing or damaging additional trees on the property. It also mandates that officials provide ten days of written notice before making any irreparable modifications to the course's features while the lawsuit remains active.

Reyes addressed the administration's argument that the court should disregard the president's public statements about the project. She expressed surprise that the government asked the court not to believe the sitting president. The judge noted that the case has evolved from a dispute over golf into a conflict between presidential assertions and the sworn testimony of government employees.

"This started as a case about golf. That good walk spoiled. But it has become much more," Reyes wrote in her ruling. She added that the court now must reconcile the arguments of senior Department of Justice attorneys with the evidence presented by the plaintiffs.

The legal battle began on Oct. 18 when Trump announced on social media that the course would close for 15 months starting Nov. 15. He stated the plan was to redevelop the 106-year-old park. A day later, the president posted that work would begin immediately, despite a court challenge filed by the D.C. Preservation League and two golfers.

Reyes, who was nominated by President Joe Biden, initially ordered the administration to suspend work until Oct. 26. At a recent hearing, she criticized the government after workers cut down at least 400 trees over a holiday weekend. The plaintiffs claim the project is causing irreversible damage to the historic site.

The renovation is part of a wider effort by the administration to alter Washington’s historic landscape. These plans include constructing a large ballroom at the White House, building a massive arch, and adding the president's name to the Kennedy Center.

Reyes also rejected the administration's request for her to recuse herself from the case. The government had questioned her impartiality and accused her of engaging in egregious behavior during an emergency hearing earlier in the litigation.