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An illustrative image of a golf ball near the hole highlights President Donald Trump's plans to begin work on Washington's East Potomac golf course despite a federal judge's restrictions on construction and tree removal.
Trump Says Washington Golf Course Renovation Will Start Despite Court Order
WASHINGTON — October 18, 2026
US President Donald Trump said his administration would begin renovation work immediately at a historic Washington golf course, despite a federal judge's order requiring the government to notify the court before starting major construction. The dispute over East Potomac Golf Links has raised questions about environmental protection, historic preservation and the limits of presidential authority.
Trump announced the decision in a post on Truth Social on Monday, criticizing the judge overseeing the case and arguing that the government had the right to carry out the project without further approval. It remained unclear how the administration would proceed in light of the court's orders or how the judge would respond to Trump's latest statement.
US District Judge Ana Reyes had previously ruled that the government must notify the court before undertaking substantial construction at the golf course. Last week, she also ordered the administration to stop removing trees from the site after more than 400 trees had been cut down.
The project has been part of Trump's broader efforts to change federal properties and landmarks in Washington. On Sunday, he said renovation work at East Potomac Golf Links would begin on November 15 and that the course would reopen in about 15 months. His earlier statements had pointed to a September start.
The legal dispute began in February, when the DC Preservation League filed a lawsuit seeking to stop the administration's plans. The group argued that the project could violate environmental laws and cause lasting damage to a historically important public site.
The administration has challenged the lawsuit, arguing in a court filing on October 9 that the project remained at an early planning stage and that the legal action was premature. The following day, however, the government removed about 500 trees from the golf course, saying the work would improve public safety, restore the site's original design and follow a plan developed in 2019.
Judge Reyes subsequently ordered the tree removal to stop. She also asked the administration to clarify its position that no final government action had been taken on the renovation and that the president had only considered the proposal at a preliminary stage.
In a court filing responding to that request, Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward argued that redesigning the golf course did not qualify as formal agency action. He compared the work to changing museum exhibits or carrying out routine landscaping, including trimming trees, replacing fences and altering fairways.
The administration has also asked for Reyes to be removed from the case and for it to be reassigned to another federal judge. In a motion filed on Friday, government lawyers accused her of showing strong hostility toward the Trump administration.
The case remains a dispute over whether the proposed renovation can proceed while legal challenges and court orders are in place. Trump's announcement that work would begin immediately contrasts with his earlier timetable, leaving the project's next steps uncertain.
