A federal judge ordered a two-week delay on any work at East Potomac Golf Links, a historic public golf course near the White House, blocking for now President Trump's plan to redevelop it.
Judge Ana Reyes issued the temporary restraining order before the course was due to close Sunday for 15 months, pointing to the president's own social media posts about the closure date.
They indicate that the Washington National Plan is final and that NPS will close the Park to implement it.
The order runs through November 28 or until the court says otherwise, while the Justice Department says planning for the project can continue.
Judge Blocks Trump's Golf Course Work for Two Weeks
A federal judge on Saturday ordered a two-week pause on any work at East Potomac Golf Links, a historic public course near the White House, blocking for now President Donald Trump's push to turn it into a championship venue.
U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes issued the temporary restraining order before the course was set to close Sunday for 15 months. It remains in effect through November 28, 2026, or until the court says otherwise, whichever comes first.
The plaintiffs, the DC Preservation League and two local golfers, say the plan would change the character of an accessible public course and make it unaffordable. The Republican president denies that charge outright.
Trump had announced that work would start Sunday despite the suit filed in February. His October 26 post said the site would close November 15 to renovate and rebuild what he called a World Championship Public Facility.
Reyes said those posts were a problem for the government because they signal the plan is final and that the park will close to carry it out. Both points, she wrote, favor granting the plaintiffs' motion for a new order.
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What the Restraining Order Allows and Bars
The judge's order bars the government from closing East Potomac Park and its golf course during the daily hours they were open as of November 14. It does not require the government to actively manage either one.
The government remains free to carry out repairs on any part of the park and course, as it has throughout the case, with whatever notice the existing preliminary injunction requires.
The Justice Department said the judge acknowledged that the National Park Service can limit access to its facilities when the public is at risk. Nothing in the order, it said, stops planning for a world class golf course from continuing.
Catherine Carroll, a senior legal adviser at Democracy Forward, which represents the plaintiffs, praised the ruling. She called the park a treasured space that could never be replaced and described the project as another vanity project.
Safety Claims Meet Skepticism in Court
Reyes had signaled during a five-hour hearing on Friday that she would likely order some kind of stoppage. The only open question was how broad it would be.
Justice Department lawyer Adam Gustafson argued that the entire park, which includes three golf courses, a miniature course, bike lanes and other recreation areas, was being closed for safety reasons. He also noted that the lease with the current operator, National Links Trust, ended Sunday.
Reyes replied that safety had not been part of the conversation about the closure for months. Ending the lease, she said, felt more like a premise for the closure than the reason the course, about 2 miles from the White House, was shutting down.
Trump lashed out in a social media post even before the ruling, saying Reyes does not want the course fixed quickly and cheaply and that it is also very dangerous. He promised Washington-area residents a 50% discount on all rates.
A Judge Who Lost Patience With the Administration
Reyes had been reluctant for months to grant the plaintiffs' requests for work stoppages. The plaintiffs argued that the administration was moving ahead with project work despite the pending lawsuit.
That reluctance ended in October, in part after the administration cut down trees over a holiday weekend with little notice to the judge or the plaintiffs. Officials said the work was part of a 2019 plan that recommended the cutting.
The judge confronted the administration over what she described as deceitful actions about its plans. She has also voiced frustration over the small planning details she has been asked to rule on, including the trees at the 106-year-old park.
The Justice Department asked that Reyes be removed from the case, citing what it called her egregious behavior and questioning her impartiality. She has not recused herself.
A Special Master and a String of Court Delays
Reyes also plans to appoint Jessie Liu, a former U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia, to examine whether officials at the Interior Department and the National Park Service, and Justice Department lawyers, violated ethics rules or misled her.
The golf course is one of several Washington projects Trump has championed to remake the city, including a large memorial arch, a White House ballroom and the Kennedy Center.
The ruling is the latest in a string of decisions in suits over those projects that land just hours before construction was expected to start. A different judge recently ordered a 14-day delay on work for the arch.
That order came soon after a planning commission filled with Trump appointees approved the arch plans. For now, the golf course stays open while the court case continues.
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Charlotte Reynolds
Political Journalist
Charlotte Reynolds is a political journalist with years of experience covering Congress, federal policies, elections, and political strategy. She provides in-depth analysis and commentary on national issues.
