Trump Defies Judge’s Warning to Begin Golf Course
President Donald Trump announced on June 28 that work will begin September 1 on renovating the public East Potomac Golf Course despite a federal judge explicitly warning of “serious consequences” if the administration proceeds with major work without prior court approval and notification. U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes stated: “I do not want a situation where something has happened and then I’m being told by the government or by a foundation or by a bulldozing company that it’s too late to do anything about it.”
Trump toured the golf course alongside Interior Secretary Doug Burgum and golf architect Tom Fazio, describing the project as a public-private partnership that will create “one of the Greatest Golf Courses anywhere in the World” capable of hosting major tournaments including the U.S. Open and Ryder Cup. The administration terminated the previous operator’s lease, National Links Trust, in December citing maintenance failures, though the nonprofit disputes those claims and was permitted to continue operating under a May agreement while Trump’s renovation plans advance.
The D.C. Preservation League warned the course would be “razed” before legal challenges could prevent it, citing the rapid demolition of the White House’s East Wing. This follows Trump’s pattern of moving forward with projects despite judicial restraint, including his 250-foot triumphal arch near Arlington National Cemetery that prompted a veterans’ lawsuit and his addition of his name to the Kennedy Center before a judge ordered its removal.
Trump also claimed vandals caused algae blooms and liner damage at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, describing the vandals as “Criminal, Radical Left” individuals without evidence. He stated the $16 million pool renovation is now in “full use” and promised additional treatment after July 4 to restore it to “perfect shape.”