Judge issues temporary block against Trump on Washington public golf course redevelopment

A federal judge has ordered a two-week hold preventing work to redevelop a historic Washington public golf course near the White House that President Donald Trump has called "the worst golf course anywhere in the world." 

Big picture view:

U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes issued a temporary restraining order Saturday, the day before the East Potomac Golf Links was set to close for 15 months. 

Trump had announced work would begin that day even as a legal challenge brought against the project by the DC Preservation League and two area golfers loomed. 

Reyes ruled that Trump’s social media posts in which he announced plans to renovate and rebuild the course presented a problem for the government. 

"They indicate that the Washington National Plan is final and that NPS will close the Park to implement it," she wrote. "Both points favor granting Plaintiffs’ motion for another temporary restraining order."

The order prevents the government from closing East Potomac Park and the East Potomac Golf Course  during the daily hours they were open in on Saturday, but does not order the government to take on managing either one.

But she wrote that the government remains free to conduct repairs with any notice required by the existing preliminary injunction. 

What they're saying:

The Justice Department issued a statement saying the judge acknowledged that the National Park Service can limit access to its facilities if there is a risk of harm to the public. 

"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 advisor at Democracy Forward, which is representing the plaintiffs in the legal challenge, praised Reyes’ 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."

The other side:

Trump took to his Truth Social platform to criticize Reyes. 

"Unfortunately, Judge Ana Reyes doesn’t want us to quickly and inexpensively fix up the Course which is, also, very dangerous — The Fairways are far too close together," he wrote. "When you walk down the corridors of Trash Island, you don’t hear the sound of the running Potomac, all you hear is the sound of people screaming, "FORE!"

He said they are still making progress and said he hopes the judge "will agree that the dignity, beauty and importance of Washington, D.C. will be greatly enhanced by this soon-to-be-beautiful project." 

He also said that after years of "laughter and scorn," Trash Island will evolve into "something very special, something which the judge will be able to take great pride in seeing." 

"All over the World it will be acclaimed as being the Best Golf Course anywhere, attracting the U.S. Open, the PGA Championship, the Ryder Cup, and the Presidents Cup, with all of the Economic Development that will bring," he wrote, adding that anyone living in the D.C. area will receive a 50% discount on "any and all rates charged."  

Dig deeper:

Reyes signaled Friday that a stoppage was likely to be issued on Saturday. 

Justice Department lawyer Adam Gustafson said the East Potomac Park, which includes three golf courses, a miniature course, bike riding lanes and other recreational areas, was set to close because of safety factors and because the least between the government and the park’s operator, National Links Trust, was ending Sunday.

But the judge said safety had not been part of the discussion about closing the park and course for months.

 

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