President Donald Trump has sharply criticized a federal judge who halted his administration's planned overhaul of the East Potomac Golf Course in Washington, D.C. Trump described the venue as "disgusting" and "dilapidated," vowing to hold U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes "fully responsible" for any liabilities or harm that may occur at the site.
Trump's remarks follow a preliminary injunction issued by Judge Reyes, which blocked renovation work at the golf course. He contended that the driving range should offer clear views of the Washington Monument, not a "barren, debris-ridden wasteland," and that it should not pose a "threat to life and limb."
He further claimed that a White House staffer was "violently" sustained a chest injury from a golf ball, which he attributed to "gaping holes" in the course's protective netting. This legal dispute has been ongoing for months, initiated by a lawsuit from several preservation groups challenging the fate of the East Potomac golf links, which includes three courses and is adjacent to popular running and biking trails.
Trump had envisioned transforming the site into a "championship-caliber" course, a plan that has been stalled by court proceedings. Judge Reyes expressed significant frustration with the administration's actions, particularly the National Park Service's removal of approximately 430 trees from the site on October 9, with less than 24 hours' notice provided to plaintiffs.
"I am at a total loss to understand what has happened here," Reyes stated, recalling her explicit instruction to the Justice Department to update the court on any "imminent, significant construction or destructive activities of an irretrievable character." She questioned the administration's decision-making, asking, "What universe did anyone in your office think that was acceptable?"
The judge's new preliminary injunction now temporarily prohibits the Trump administration from removing or damaging any additional trees at the East Potomac Golf Course. It also mandates a minimum of 10 days' written notice before any modifications are made to the course's "form or features," including changes to landforms, vegetation, design, hydrology, pathways, and structures.
"The Court earlier stated, ‘I am not the Lorax. I do not speak for the trees,'" Reyes remarked on Monday. "The Court still does not speak for the trees. It speaks only for the rule of law."
In a separate development, Reyes ordered Stanley Woodward, an associate attorney general in the Justice Department, to appear in court on Friday for a status hearing.