DOJ lawyers argue plans to renovate D.C. golf course are hypothetical. Then, Trump announces another 15-month rebuild from Nov. 15
Another renovation project.
President Donald Trump announced plans on Truth Social to redevelop the East Potomac Golf Links in Washington, D.C., sparking an immediate clash with a federal judge overseeing the property. According to NBC News, he stated that the administration developed a project to rebuild the public course, setting a construction start date of November 15. The October 18, 2026, post showed that the project would take about 15 months to complete.
Trump added that the Department of the Interior 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.” The post promised major upgrades while keeping the venue accessible to ordinary players. Trump said that “restoration work will begin” so the facility can become “one of the Best and Most Spectacular Golf Courses anywhere in the World”.
“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 wrote in his announcement. He added that the “current Course is old, broken, dilapidated, and of no further use or effect.”
This vision faces serious legal hurdles right in the capital
The announcement brought swift scrutiny from U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes, who was appointed to the federal bench by Joe Biden in 2023, per The Guardian. Judge Reyes ordered the administration to notify her by 8:00 PM ET on Sunday about its official position. She demanded to know whether officials still argue that there is no “final agency action” and that the proposal is purely “preliminary.”
The Department of Justice (DOJ) attorneys had argued earlier in court that the idea of rebuilding the course was only hypothetical. In a Friday filing, government attorneys maintained that “at most” Trump has given “preliminary thought” to the concept. The DOJ answered the judge on Sunday night, reiterating that no final agency action took place. Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward wrote that preliminary concepts cannot be reviewed by a federal judge.
Woodward argued, “Just as a decision to redesign all the art exhibits in a Smithsonian Museum would not be agency action, neither would a decision to redesign a golf course, or to trim trees, replace fences, expand the fairways, or mow the lawn.” Officials from the National Park Service also told Reyes that they knew of no formal plans beyond social media posts by Trump and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum.
Tensions in the courtroom peaked after workers cut down about 500 trees across the historic site
The government claimed the tree cutting belonged to a 2019 plan that predates Trump, intended to improve safety and restore original design lines. Reyes halted the tree removals through October 26, calling the destruction “inexcusable.” She expressed outrage in court, noting that she had trusted federal representatives to avoid unannounced work.
Reyes stated, “I was hearing from everyone on plaintiffs’ side this was going to happen. I said repeatedly, ‘No, I trust the government.’ I trusted you all not to do precisely what you have done.” She added that the move “cost the government all of its credibility.” The judge ordered the administration to provide three business days of advance written notice before making any “irreparable modification” to the grounds.
The administration responded by trying to pull Reyes off the bench entirely. On Friday, government lawyers filed a motion to disqualify the judge, claiming her actions showed “deep-seated and unequivocal antipathy” and “open hostility” toward the Trump administration. The filing claimed her “histrionics in prior hearings have clearly demonstrated she is no longer impartial.”
A court hearing is scheduled for Monday, where Reyes called on key officials to testify under oath about the recent tree clearing. She ordered the acting director of the National Park Service, the chief of staff for the Interior Department, and Woodward to appear.
Preservationists remain determined to protect the 106-year-old recreation area
The DC Preservation League filed a lawsuit in February, alleging that the takeover violates environmental laws and threatens to “irreparably destroy a priceless piece of American history”. The administration filed a motion on October 9, asking Reyes to dismiss the case because the “proposed project remains at an early and conceptual stage”. Opponents worry that building a high-end course will alter the public character of the property and push out regular players.
Legal advocates fighting the redevelopment argue that the park belongs to everyone in the city. Democracy Forward represents the plaintiffs, which include two local residents alongside the preservation group.
Skye Perryman, the president and CEO of Democracy Forward, released a direct statement defending the public grounds. Perryman said, “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,”.
This golf course dispute connects directly to Trump’s broader push to reshape Washington architecture. He continues work on a White House ballroom and plans to construct a triumphal arch. His handpicked Kennedy Center board voted to shut down the arts center for renovations, while efforts were made to place his name on the building. The administration also started repairs on the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, though that project ran into trouble too.
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