WASHINGTON — U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes temporarily blocked the Trump administration from proceeding with its plan to renovate the historic public golf course at East Potomac Park, about 2 miles south of the White House.
In a 30-page decision, Reyes found that the administration’s stated justification for closing the park was “pretextual” and that the government had violated at least two federal laws. Her order requires East Potomac Park to remain open to the public.
The administration is not required to continue operating golf facilities at the site. But Reyes ruled that officials cannot use the lack of golf operations as grounds to bar public access to the park.
“The government proposes to close a historic park, daily enjoyed by Washingtonians of all stripes, indefinitely,” Reyes wrote.
The lawsuit was filed by the DC Preservation League and two local residents. Reyes had previously barred the National Park Service from removing trees or making irreversible changes at the park without advance notice. She also ordered an ethics investigation into whether government lawyers misled the court about the timeline for closing the park.
The Justice Department sought Reyes’s recusal, but that request was denied.
Proposed Course Redesign
The administration’s proposal would replace East Potomac Park’s three golf courses, totaling 36 holes, with a single 18-hole championship course. The park also includes a miniature golf course and a paved loop used by runners and cyclists.
Hundreds of trees had been removed from the course. President Donald Trump said in an Oct. 18 social-media post that the park would close for 15 months and cited the possibility of hosting events including the U.S. Open and Ryder Cup.
Catherine Carroll, senior legal adviser at Democracy Forward, said the plan would have removed a public park that could not be replaced.