Judge Reyes questions Trump administration over East Potomac golf course
President Donald Trump stated on Monday that construction on the East Potomac golf course would begin immediately, while government lawyers told a federal judge just hours later that no final plan exists for the project. The conflicting accounts emerged during a marathon five-hour court hearing in Washington, D.C., where U.S. District Judge Ana C. Reyes questioned the administration’s actions regarding the 106-year-old public park and golf course.
Clashing Accounts in Federal Court Over Final Plans
The hearing brought to light stark contradictions between the White House and the attorneys defending its actions in court. Trump announced on social media that the course would close for 15 months starting Nov. 15 to allow for a comprehensive redevelopment. In contrast, Justice Department officials maintained in their filings and arguments that no definitive blueprint has been finalized for the site.
I don’t know what to do, when I keep getting different stories,
Judge Reyes told Associate Attorney General Stan Woodward. The judge later highlighted the direct contradiction during the proceedings, asking how she could reconcile public presidential statements declaring a finalized plan with government legal filings insisting otherwise. DOJ attorney Robert Stander handled the bulk of the administration’s arguments during the session.
The litigation stems from an emergency legal challenge filed by the D.C. Preservation League and two golfers. Plaintiffs’ attorneys asked the court to extend a temporary restraining order because recent actions by the administration inflicted irreversible damage. Workers removed more than 400 trees from the property over a holiday weekend with minimal notice to the court or the plaintiffs.
Judge Reyes Halts Redevelopment Plans over Tree Removal
Judge Reyes previously ordered a halt to the redevelopment plans until at least Oct. 26 after reprimanding the government for executing the large-scale tree removal without adequate judicial notification. Throughout Monday’s hearing, the judge pressed officials on whether they could certify the truthfulness of recent court filings under federal rules of civil procedure. Woodward argued that asking a lower-level attorney to contradict public presidential statements placed him in a difficult position.
Opponents of the overhaul argue that the project violates the congressional act that created the park, while failing to comply with the National Historic Preservation Act and the National Environmental Policy Act. They contend that the changes will alter the historic character of the space and reduce affordability for Washington residents who rely on the public course. The administration countered that the Department of the Interior holds the absolute right to upgrade an unsafe and dilapidated facility.
The legal fight also involved a failed recusal motion. The administration asked Judge Reyes to step down from the case, accusing her of exhibiting egregious behavior during previous emergency hearings. Reyes rejected the motion, writing in a court filing that the government failed to meet the demanding legal standard required for recusal as detailed in court documents. By the conclusion of Monday’s session, Reyes took no immediate action on extending the pause, leaving the temporary halt in place ahead of the upcoming Oct. 26 deadline.