Federal judge temporarily halts Trump's renovation plan for century-old Washington golf course

A federal judge in the United States has issued a temporary restraining order against a plan to close a historic public golf course in Washington for a renovation championed by President Donald Trump. Under Saturday's order, the East Potomac Golf Links will not close for now.

U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes granted a two-week delay. Under the plan, the course was due to close on Sunday for 15 months so that the renovation announced by Trump could be carried out.

The East Potomac Golf Links sits on federally owned land at East Potomac Park. The course has been part of Washington's public golf scene for more than a century, and the park itself is 106 years old.

Trump announced in May that the course would undergo a 'historic renovation' that would prepare it to host major professional golf events. Closing the course for an extended period was part of implementing that plan.

The plaintiffs, however, argue that Trump's plan would change the character of the accessible golf course and make it unaffordable for ordinary players. Trump denies that claim. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Trump has dubbed the course 'Trash Island.' In a Truth Social post on Saturday he again called it the 'worst' course in the world, said its conditions are 'very dangerous,' and attached pictures appearing to show the course in poor shape.

In that post, Trump wrote that the fairways are far too close together. In his words, when you walk down the corridors of 'Trash Island,' you do not hear the sound of the running Potomac — all you hear is people screaming, 'FORE!'

In her ruling on Saturday, Judge Reyes noted that Trump's posts presented a problem for the government. She wrote that they indicate the Washington National Plan is final and that the National Park Service will close the park to implement it, and that both points favour granting the plaintiffs' motion for another temporary restraining order.

Reyes, who was nominated to the court by former president Joe Biden, had for months been reticent about approving the plaintiffs' requests for work stoppages. The plaintiffs had argued the administration was moving ahead with work related to the project despite the pending lawsuit.

Her reluctance ended in October, spurred in part by a tree-cutting spree by the administration over a holiday weekend with little notification to the judge or the plaintiffs. Officials and government lawyers said the tree work was part of a 2019 plan that recommended the cutting.

In response, the judge confronted the administration over what she portrayed as deceitful actions regarding its intentions for the project. She has repeatedly expressed frustration over the minute planning details she has been asked to adjudicate, including the trees cut down at the 106-year-old park.

The East Potomac Park redevelopment is one of several projects Trump has championed to remake the nation's capital. They include a large memorial arch, a White House ballroom and the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.