The Donald Trump administration has now put a date on the closing of a historic Washington golf course, even as litigation over its future continues. A DOJ filing confirms that federal officials intend to close East Potomac Park while a judge weighs challenges to the renovation plans.
Justice Department filing establishes the November 15 closure plan
The filing lays out a two-step process for the project. On Oct. 30, the National Park Service plans to submit a design by golf course architect Tom Fazio to the National Capital Planning Commission. The proposal envisions a championship-level course big enough to accommodate tournaments, including the U.S. Open. The commission will review the proposal at its Dec. 3 meeting (via ABC News).
National Links Trust will hand over operations of the golf course after business hours on Nov. 15, following changes to its lease. The closure affects the section of East Potomac Park south of Buckeye Drive, including the course itself. The nonprofit will retain responsibility for its other two public golf facilities.
The transition comes as the site faces legal scrutiny over plans announced by President Donald Trump on social media. In a ruling issued Oct. 26, U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes prohibited the government from cutting down or damaging more trees at the course. Her injunction also requires officials to provide 10 days’ written notice before carrying out any “irreparable modification” that cannot be reversed while the lawsuit continues.
Reyes raised questions about the administration’s plans after government officials testified that they knew nothing about the renovation Trump had publicly described. On Tuesday, she ordered Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward Jr. to show up for a status hearing and explain whether a closure plan existed. The court subsequently directed him and a representative from the Interior Department’s solicitor’s office to attend Friday’s hearing.
Trump has defended the overhaul, describing the course on Truth Social as “highly dangerous, dilapidated, and absolutely disgusting.” Plaintiffs, including the DC Preservation League and two golfers, argue that the project risks irreversible damage. Critics also fear the revamped facility could become too expensive for ordinary players and undermine the park’s other uses.
