Judge blocks further changes to East Potomac Golf Links

A federal judge extended a legal pause on renovation work at the East Potomac Golf Course on Monday.

U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes issued a preliminary injunction that stops the government from removing or damaging additional trees on the property. The order also requires the administration to submit a written notice 10 days before making any "irreparable modification" to the course's features while the lawsuit remains active.

The legal dispute began on October 18 when President Donald Trump announced plans to close the golf course for 15 months starting November 15. Trump stated on social media that he intended to redevelop the 106-year-old park and course. The D.C. Preservation League and two golfers filed a court challenge to the plans. One day after the initial announcement, Trump posted that work would begin immediately.

Reyes, who was nominated by former President Joe Biden, previously ordered the administration to suspend work until October 26. During a recent hearing, the judge criticized the government after workers cut down at least 400 trees over a holiday weekend with little notice to the plaintiffs. The plaintiffs argue that the construction is causing irreversible damage to the site. Reyes rejected the administration's request for her to recuse herself from the case, even though the government accused her of engaging in "egregious" behavior from the bench.

In her written decision, Reyes addressed the government's argument to disregard statements made by the sitting President. She noted that the case began with a focus on golf but has evolved into a test of consistency. "This started as a case about golf. That good walk spoiled. But it has become much more," Reyes wrote. She explained that the court must now reconcile the president's assertions with the sworn testimony of government employees and the arguments of senior Department of Justice attorneys. Reyes also reminded the parties that the court does not speak for nature but for the rule of law, stating, "I am not the Lorax. I do not speak for the trees."

The renovation project is one part of a larger campaign by the president to alter Washington's historic landscape. Other planned changes include the construction of a large ballroom at the White House, the building of a massive arch, and adding the president's name to the Kennedy Center. The new court order keeps the existing legal barriers in place as the parties continue to litigate the scope of the redevelopment.