Trump confirms East Potomac golf closure

The Justice Department filed a court notice on Wednesday night confirming that President Donald Trump’s plans for the East Potomac Golf Course are proceeding as announced.

The filing states that the National Park Service will submit a design rendering to the National Capital Planning Commission on Oct. 30. The design is by Tom Fazio and is described as a championship-level facility capable of hosting events like the U.S. Open.

According to the document, the National Park Service will close East Potomac Park south of Buckeye Drive on Nov. 15. This closure aligns with the president’s directive to renovate the site for 15 months.

The National Capital Planning Commission is scheduled to review the proposed plan at its Dec. 3 meeting. The closure date marks the start of a 15-month period for the renovation work.

This development follows a rapid sequence of events beginning on Oct. 18. Trump posted on social media that the park would close on Nov. 15 for renovation. He described the project as creating a world-class facility.

The announcement triggered legal challenges from the DC Preservation League and two golfers. U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes issued a preliminary injunction on Oct. 26. The ruling was partly based on a discrepancy between the president’s public statements and testimony from federal officials who said they were unaware of the plans.

The current injunction prevents the government from removing or damaging additional trees on the course. It also requires the administration to provide 10 days’ written notice before making any irreversible changes to the course’s features while the lawsuit is active.

The Wednesday filing explained that the National Park Service entered a new lease agreement with the National Links Trust. The company currently operates the course and will cease operations there by the close of business on Nov. 15. It will continue to operate two other public golf courses.

Judge Reyes ordered Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward Jr. to appear in court on Friday. She also required at least one person from the Department of the Interior’s Office of the Solicitor with experience in the case to attend. This order followed Trump’s criticism of the temporary injunction on social media late Monday.

In a Wednesday post on Truth Social, Trump called the golf course highly dangerous and dilapidated. He stated that Reyes would be held responsible for any injuries or deaths at the course. The renovation is part of a larger campaign to modify Washington’s historic landscape, which includes a White House ballroom and a military arch in Memorial Circle.