Federal Judge Temporarily Halts Trump Plan to Redevelop Public Washington Golf Course

A federal judge on Saturday temporarily blocked the Trump administration from closing a historic Washington public golf course, halting plans to begin a 15-month redevelopment project along the Potomac River.

U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes issued the temporary restraining order hours before East Potomac Golf Links was scheduled to shut down on Sunday, ordering the park to remain open through Nov. 28.

The DC Preservation League and two local golfers sued in February to stop the project, arguing that the overhaul would make an affordable public recreation site exclusive and unaffordable.

"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," said Catherine Carroll, a senior legal adviser at Democracy Forward.

In her 30-page ruling, Reyes wrote that the administration violated two federal laws and offered pretextual reasons to justify closing the nearly 400-acre park.

"The Government proposes to close a historic park, daily enjoyed by Washingtonians of all stripes, indefinitely," Reyes wrote, adding that officials showed no plausible harm from maintaining the status quo.

Justice Department lawyer Adam Gustafson argued during a five-hour hearing on Friday that the park was closing because of safety issues and the expiration of an operating lease with the National Links Trust.

Reyes rejected that reasoning, saying safety had not been raised for months and that the lease expiration merely provided a cover to fulfill Mr. Trump's repeated demands for closure.

The Justice Department said on Saturday that the ruling acknowledged the government can restrict access when the public faces danger, and insisted planning for a championship course would continue.

Mr. Trump condemned the decision on social media, complaining that Reyes "doesn't want us to quickly and inexpensively fix up the Course which is also very dangerous."

Calling the site "Trash Island," Mr. Trump promised that local residents would receive a 50 percent discount on fees and asserted the new venue would host major tournaments like the Ryder Cup.

The dispute intensified in October after the National Park Service cut down more than 500 trees at the site, prompting Reyes to issue a prior order restricting further removals.

Reyes has also initiated an inquiry with an independent special master to determine whether Justice Department lawyers made false statements or acted in bad faith regarding the renovation timetable.

The temporary restraining order remains in effect until Nov. 28, leaving the course open while the court considers further proceedings in the lawsuit.