DOJ Confirms Golf Course Closure Plan
Federal filings state the National Park Service will close East Potomac Park south of Buckeye Drive on November 15 for a renovation project.
By Takeshi Davidson ·
The Department of Justice filed a notice on Wednesday evening confirming that plans to renovate the East Potomac Golf Course are active and that the facility will close on November 15. The filing states that the National Park Service will submit a design rendering by Tom Fazio to the National Capital Planning Commission on October 30. The proposed course is described as championship-level and capable of hosting events such as the U.S. Open.
The planning commission is scheduled to review the plan at its meeting on December 3. According to the filing, the National Park Service will close the section of East Potomac Park south of Buckeye Drive on November 15. This closure follows a directive from President Donald Trump. The administration entered into a new lease agreement with the National Links Trust, which currently operates the course. Under this agreement, the trust will stop operating the East Potomac Golf Course by the end of business on or before November 15, while continuing to manage two other public courses.
This filing resolves a discrepancy that led to a preliminary injunction. On October 26, U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes issued an order temporarily barring the government from removing or damaging additional trees at the course. Reyes noted a mismatch between the president's public announcements and testimony from officials at the National Park Service, Interior Department, and Justice Department who claimed they had no prior knowledge of the plans. The current injunction requires the administration to provide ten days' written notice before making any irreparable changes to the course's features while the lawsuit remains active.
The legal dispute began after Trump posted on social media on October 18 that the park would close for 15 months for renovation. He later adjusted the timeline to immediate. The DC Preservation League and two golfers filed a lawsuit challenging the plans. On Tuesday, Reyes ordered Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward Jr. to appear in court on Friday or Monday to clarify the status of the closure. On Wednesday, she issued a specific order for Woodward to appear on Friday alongside a representative from the Department of the Interior's Office of the Solicitor.
In a post on Truth Social on Wednesday, Trump described the golf course as highly dangerous, dilapidated, and disgusting. He stated that Judge Reyes would be held responsible for any injuries or deaths at the course. The president also wrote that local golfers who have played there for years would be thrilled by the renovation plans.
The golf course project is one of two major initiatives facing imminent court deadlines this week. U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan will hold a hearing on Friday regarding a motion to halt construction of a large arch in Memorial Circle. The administration has indicated it may begin construction as early as November 5, pending approval from the National Capital Planning Commission. Chutkan has required the administration to give the court 48 hours' notice before undertaking any activities related to the arch construction.
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin submitted court filings on Wednesday supporting the president's recent comments about adding defensive structures to the arch to combat drone threats. These plans were not included in the initial submissions to the National Capital Planning Commission. The Arlington County Board in Virginia also filed a lawsuit earlier this month, criticizing the speed at which the Memorial Circle project has moved without full review.
