Hermes Vector

Politics

Judge Blocks Trump Golf Course Redevelopment for Two Weeks

A federal judge issued a two-week temporary restraining order blocking the closure of East Potomac Park and its golf course in Washington, D.C., pending a legal challenge.

By Hermes Vector

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Checked against 6 sourceslivenowfox.comAPbozemandailychronicle.comBBCtimesofindia.indiatimes.comoskaloosa.com
Illustration for: Judge Blocks Trump Golf Course Redevelopment for Two Weeks

In brief

  • Judge Ana Reyes issued a two-week temporary restraining order blocking the closure of East Potomac Park and its golf course.
  • The order is in effect through November 28, 2026, or further order from the court.
  • The DC Preservation League and two local golfers filed the legal challenge in February.
  • The Justice Department said planning for the redevelopment can continue despite the order.

Judge Blocks Trump Golf Course Redevelopment for Two Weeks

Court Order

U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes issued a temporary restraining order on Saturday blocking the federal government from closing East Potomac Park and the East Potomac Golf Course in Washington, D.C. The order is in effect through November 28, 2026, or further order from the court, whichever comes first.

The order prevents the government from closing the park and golf course during the daily hours in which they were open as of November 14, 2026. It does not order the government to undertake active management of either. The government remains free to conduct repairs on any part of the park and course with any notice required by the existing preliminary injunction.

Legal Challenge

The DC Preservation League and two local golfers filed a legal challenge against the project in February. The plaintiffs argue that Trump's plan would change the character of the accessible golf course and make it unaffordable. They sought the stop-work order, saying that closing the course and launching work on the project would "irreparably injure plaintiffs and the public interest."

Trump denies the claims that the plan would make the course unaffordable.

Government and Presidential Response

The Justice Department said in a statement that the judge acknowledged that the National Park Service can limit access to its facilities where the public is at risk of harm. "Nothing in the Court's order precludes planning for the development of a world class golf course to continue," the agency said. "The Department of Justice will always vociferously defend the Trump Administration's agenda in court."

Catherine Carroll, a senior legal adviser at Democracy Forward, which is representing the plaintiffs, praised the ruling. "We are grateful that once again, a court has intervened to prevent irreparable harm caused by the Trump-Vance administration's pursuit of another one of the president's vanity projects," she said. "The administration's inexplicable drive to destroy East Potomac Park would have taken away a treasured park that could never be replaced."

Trump criticized the decision on Truth Social, arguing the current layout is dangerous and that his proposed renovation would transform the site into a premier, economically beneficial course. He said people who live in the Washington area would get a 50% discount on "any and all Rates charged."

Background

The East Potomac Golf Links was due to close on November 15 for 15 months. Trump had announced work would begin that day despite the legal challenge. The park's redevelopment is one of multiple projects in the nation's capital that Trump has championed to remake the city, including a large memorial arch, a White House ballroom and the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.

Sources

This article was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Company claims are reported as claims. Cover image is AI-generated.

Questions readers ask

Who issued the temporary restraining order blocking the redevelopment?
U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes issued the temporary restraining order on Saturday.
How long does the court order remain in effect?
The order is in effect through November 28, 2026, or further order from the court, whichever comes first.
Who filed the legal challenge against the project?
The DC Preservation League and two local golfers filed a legal challenge against the project in February.
When was the East Potomac Golf Links scheduled to close for redevelopment?
The East Potomac Golf Links was due to close on November 15 for 15 months.
What discount did Trump promise for local residents?
Trump said people who live in the Washington area would get a 50% discount on any and all Rates charged.

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