US judge halts Trump’s plan to close historic DC golf course for redevelopment

Temporary fencing is seen at East Potomac Park, Saturday

A US judge temporarily blocked President Donald Trump’s plan to shut down a historic public golf course in Washington for a 15-month redevelopment, ruling that the government cannot close the park to the public while a legal challenge against the project is pending.US District Judge Ana Reyes, in a 30-page order issued on Saturday, said the administration was seeking to close a historic public space that was regularly used by Washington residents. “The government proposes to close a historic park, daily enjoyed by Washingtonians of all stripes, indefinitely,” she wrote, as quoted by Reuters.Reyes said the administration’s stated reasons for shutting the site were “pretextual” and that the government had violated at least two federal laws to meet what she described as an “arbitrary deadline”. The order prevents the government from closing East Potomac Park and its golf course during the hours they were open as of November 14. It will remain in force until November 28 or until further orders from the court.The golf course has historical significance. Opened in 1920, it was among Washington’s earliest public golf courses and also became a site of the city’s civil rights struggle. In 1941, three Black golfers challenged racial segregation at the course and played under police protection, helping advance the integration of public recreational facilities in the capital. The National Park Service recognises it as part of the historic East and West Potomac Parks district.The ruling came a day before the planned closure of East Potomac Park, located along the Potomac River, about two miles from the White House. The administration had announced that work would begin on November 15, with the golf course expected to remain shut for 15 months.The legal challenge was brought by the DC Preservation League and two local golfers, who argued that the redevelopment would fundamentally change the character of the accessible public course and make it unaffordable for ordinary residents. They also warned that closing the park and beginning construction would cause irreparable harm to the public.Trump’s own social media announcements about the planned closure also weighed on the judge’s decision. In an October 26 post, the president said the course would shut as scheduled on November 15 for renovation and rebuilding, citing competition, safety, modernisation and aesthetic improvements.The proposed overhaul would replace the park’s existing 36 holes across three golf courses with a single 18-hole championship-level course. Trump has said the redevelopment would create a “World Championship Public Facility” capable of hosting major tournaments such as the US Open and Ryder Cup, while remaining accessible to the public.The Justice Department said the ruling did not prevent the administration from continuing to plan the redevelopment. It also maintained that the National Park Service could restrict access to facilities where public safety was at risk.Trump criticised the ruling in a social media post on Saturday, claiming that Reyes did not want the administration to “quickly and inexpensively fix up the Course”. He also said Washington-area residents would receive a 50 per cent discount on all rates at the redeveloped facility.The case has seen repeated clashes between Reyes and the administration. The judge had earlier blocked the National Park Service from cutting down trees or making other irreversible changes to the park without advance notice. She also raised concerns over the administration’s removal of hundreds of trees without adequately informing the plaintiffs.Reyes has also initiated an examination into whether Interior Department and National Park Service officials, as well as Justice Department lawyers, misled the court or violated ethical rules during the proceedings. The Justice Department had sought her removal from the case, questioning her impartiality, but she declined to recuse herself.The golf course redevelopment is part of Trump’s broader effort to reshape Washington through major construction projects, including a proposed triumphal arch and a new White House ballroom.