Trump Says DC Golf Course Renovation Will Begin Nov. 15 Despite Court Halt

President Donald Trump said Sunday that “restoration work will begin” on 15 November at the East Potomac golf course in Washington DC, even after US district judge Ana Reyes ordered the administration to pause its plans over environmental and historic preservation concerns.

The announcement on Truth Social came as Reyes had already ruled earlier this year that the federal government must give notice before any substantive construction work could proceed and last week issued an order halting tree removal at the site, which she called “inexcusable.”

Trump wrote that the facility would reopen in about 15 months and would be transformed into “one of the Best and Most Spectacular Golf Courses anywhere in the World,” without acknowledging the legal fight. His post included an artist’s rendering for the course redesign.

Reyes responded by ordering the government to notify her by 8pm ET Sunday whether its position had changed from a Friday court filing that said “at most” Trump has given “preliminary thought” to the rebuilding plan and “there is no final agency action.”

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment on whether Trump’s announcement would conflict with Reyes’s directives.

The renovation is one of several Trump projects reshaping Washington landmarks, including a proposed White House ballroom, placing his name on the Kennedy Center and construction of a massive arch. Many have been challenged in courts.

The 106-year-old park and course has been open to Washingtonians of all income levels. Opponents of Trump’s plan to turn it into a high-end course argue it would alter the character of the space and make it less affordable.

Skye Perryman, president and CEO of Democracy Forward, which represents plaintiffs challenging the renovation, said in a statement: “Our litigation is intended to protect this community jewel for the people and communities it serves and we will continue to work with our plaintiffs to defend it from unlawful and harmful intrusion.”

The DC Preservation League brought a lawsuit in February to halt the administration’s takeover, alleging the project would violate environmental laws and “irreparably destroy a priceless piece of American history.” In an October 9 court filing, the administration asked Reyes to dismiss the litigation as premature, saying the project remained “at an early and conceptual stage.” The next day, the government removed about 500 trees, which it said was part of a 2019 safety and design plan that predates Trump’s ambitions. Reyes ordered a halt to the removals.

Reyes has also ordered key Republican administration officials to testify about the tree-cutting and whether those actions are tied to the president’s plans for the course.

On Friday, the government filed a motion to disqualify Reyes and move the case to another district judge, saying her actions had shown “deep-seated and unequivocal antipathy” and “open hostility” toward the Trump administration. The plaintiffs oppose the motion. Reyes was appointed to the federal bench by Joe Biden in 2023.

Reporting by The Guardian. Read the original report: Trump Says DC Golf Course Renovation Will Begin Nov. 15 Despite Court Halt.