Judge Blocks Immediate Closure of East Potomac Park for Trump Golf Project
Judge Ana C. Reyes, who has been overseeing combative litigation, said the Trump administration would not be responsible for operating the course while the case proceeded.
A federal judge on Saturday temporarily halted the Trump administration's plan to close East Potomac Park in Washington, D.C., due to concerns that the closure was intended to initiate the transformation of the area into a championship golf course. President Trump had announced on Friday that the park and its municipal golf course would shut down on Sunday, in preparation for the renovation work he had called for.
Judge Ana C. Reyes of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia's ruling means the park will remain open for now. Her decision is the latest setback to Mr. Trump's renovation projects in the capital, which have repeatedly faced legal challenges. In her 30-page order, Judge Reyes stated that the administration would not be responsible for operating the golf course while the case proceeded, but required the golf course, paths, and picnic areas to remain "open and accessible to the public."
Judge Reyes has been overseeing contentious litigation over the future of the park and golf course for months. A preservationist organization and local golfers filed a lawsuit in February, arguing that the project threatened to destroy a historic course and serve as a cheap and accessible option for recreational players. Her first ruling to block more general work at the park came amid a larger standoff, in which Judge Reyes accused administration officials of concealing their efforts to advance Mr. Trump's ideas.
Written by urgent.news from The New York Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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