Judge halts golf course closure

East Potomac Golf Links in Washington, D.C., will remain open through November 28, 2026. U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes issued a temporary restraining order on Saturday, November 15, 2026. The order blocks the site from closing for a 15-month redevelopment project. The course is located about two miles from the White House along the Potomac River.

President Donald Trump had announced on October 26 that the site would close on November 15. He stated the goal was to renovate the course into a World Championship Public Facility. The closure was part of the Washington National Plan. The plan includes other projects such as a large memorial arch and a White House ballroom.

The DC Preservation League and two local golfers filed the lawsuit in February 2026. They argue the new design will change the character of the public course. They claim the changes will make the facility unaffordable for many players. Trump has denied that the project will raise costs or reduce accessibility.

Judge Reyes cited the President's social media posts in her ruling. She noted that the posts indicated the government intended to close the park immediately. The judge found that these announcements favored the plaintiffs' request for a pause. The order enjoins the government from closing the park during its usual daily hours.

The government argued that safety factors required the closure of the entire East Potomac Park. The park includes three golf courses, a miniature course, and bike lanes. Justice Department lawyer Adam Gustafson also pointed out that the lease with the current operator, National Links Trust, ends Sunday. Reyes rejected the safety argument as a new justification. She viewed the lease expiration as a premise for the closure rather than the cause.

The hearing on the matter lasted five hours on Friday, November 14, 2026. During the proceedings, Reyes signaled she was likely to issue a stoppage order. The main debate focused on the scope of the delay. The judge expressed frustration with the level of detail presented to the court. She has overseen this case for months before issuing this specific order.

Reyes, nominated by President Joe Biden, previously resisted requests for work stoppages. Her stance changed in October 2026 after administration workers cut down trees during a holiday weekend. The officials said the tree work followed a 2019 plan. Reyes described the lack of notice as deceitful. The Justice Department has questioned her impartiality in the case.

The Justice Department filed a request to remove Reyes from the case. They cited her egregious behavior as the reason for the request. Reyes has not recused herself from the matter. She recently named Jessie Liu to examine potential ethics violations. Liu is a former U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia. The review will look at officials from the Interior Department and the National Park Service.

Gustafson asked the judge to reconsider the appointment of an outside investigator. He stated that the appointment creates a cloud over the people it affects. Reyes acknowledged the difficulty of the situation. She said she had an ethical obligation to investigate because there was enough smoke to consider whether there had been fire.

Trump responded to the court order in a social media post on Saturday. He criticized Reyes for not allowing the quick and inexpensive fix of the course. He claimed the course is very dangerous. He announced that residents in the Washington area would receive a 50% discount on rates. He predicted the redevelopment would evolve into something special that the judge would take pride in seeing.