East Potomac Golf Course closure plan as Trump redevelopment faces court challenge

President Donald Trump said a historic public golf course in Washington will shut for 15 months. Trump said the East Potomac Golf Course will close from Nov. 15. Trump said the plan is to redevelop the site near the White House. The announcement came as a court case continued over the same renovation.

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A judge ordered the work paused until at least Oct. 26. The order followed criticism of a large tree removal started over a holiday weekend. The court said there was little notice to the judge or plaintiffs. Trump did not mention the legal dispute in the social media post.

East Potomac Golf Course redevelopment faces court pause

Trump shared an artist’s rendering of the redesign. Trump wrote, "When completed, it will be open to the Public while, at the same time, designed to the Highest Level of Golf and able to hold world-class tournaments such as the US Open, the PGA Championship, the Ryder Cup, and the Presidents Cup,\". The post also called the future course among the best worldwide.

Democracy Forward, which represents the plaintiffs, said the course sits within a national park and recreation site. The group argued the area is meant for broad public use. Skye Perryman, the group’s president and CEO, said, \"Our litigation is intended to protect this community jewel for the people and communities it serves, and we will continue to work with our plaintiffs to defend it from unlawful and harmful intrusion,\".

East Potomac Golf Course dispute links to wider Washington renovation plans

Trump, who plays golf often, had already tied the course plan to a wider push in Washington. The list included work linked to the White House and the Kennedy Centre for the Performing Arts. Several proposals have faced court challenges. These included a large White House ballroom, adding Trump’s name to the Kennedy Centre, and a major arch.

The park and course is 106 years old and has drawn emergency hearings. The course has been open to Washington residents across income levels. Critics said a shift to a high-end course could change the space. Critics also said it could make access less affordable for many people.

Trump repeated claims that the site was unsafe and needed closure. Trump wrote, \"The current Course is old, broken, dilapidated, and of no further use or effect. It is in very poor condition, with falling, dangerous, and disease-infested trees and, importantly, a collapsing and hazardous seawall,\". Trump also compared the argument to claims used about the Kennedy Centre.

East Potomac Golf Course case returns as judge faces recusal request

Trump’s construction timeline added pressure ahead of a federal hearing scheduled for Monday. The lawsuit was filed by the DC Preservation League and two golfers. US District Judge Ana Reyes ordered key administration members to testify. The testimony will cover the tree cutting and any link to Trump’s redevelopment plan.

The administration asked on Friday for Reyes to be removed from the case. It questioned the judge’s impartiality and cited what it called \"egregious behaviour\" during an Oct. 12 emergency hearing. In a three-hour session, Reyes criticised the government’s lawyer. The judge focused on the lack of notice before the trees were cut.

At the next hearing, Reyes is expected to address the request to step aside. The plaintiffs also sought a longer preliminary injunction and or a stay over the weekend. Separately, the National Park Service said debris from the White House East Wing demolition was dumped at the course. The agency said tests found lead, chromium, and other toxic metals.

Trump also defended the removal of hundreds of trees that the judge paused. Trump wrote the course once had \"no trees\" and clear views of Washington, DC. Trump said the site is now overgrown, dysfunctional, and unsafe. The case remains active as the court reviews both the tree work and the larger redevelopment plan.

With inputs from PTI