Justice Dept. Confirms 15-Month Closure of East Potomac Golf Course Begins Nov. 15

The East Potomac Golf Course has been a site of legal and political tension since October, with conflicting signals from the White House and federal agencies. The Justice Department filed a notice on Wednesday night that formally aligns the government's official actions with President Donald Trump's public announcements.

According to the filing, the National Park Service will submit a rendering designed by Tom Fazio to the National Capital Planning Commission on Friday, October 30. The document describes a "World Class, championship-level golf course" intended to host major events, including the U.S. Open. The planning commission is scheduled to review the plan at its meeting on December 3.

The filing confirms that the National Park Service will close East Potomac Park south of Buckeye Drive, including the golf course, on November 15. This action is described as consistent with the President's directive. The timeline resolves a central question in an ongoing lawsuit that challenged the validity of the shutdown plans.

The dispute escalated rapidly in the second week of October. On October 18, Trump posted on social media that the park would close on November 15 for a 15-month renovation period. By the following day, the President had adjusted the timetable to begin "immediately." These posts contradicted earlier testimony from officials at the National Park Service, the Department of the Interior, and the Justice Department, who stated they had no prior knowledge of such plans.

U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes issued a preliminary injunction on October 26. The order temporarily bars the government from removing or damaging additional trees on the course. It also requires the administration to provide 10 days' written notice before making any irreversible modifications to the course's features while the lawsuit is active.

The Wednesday filing clarifies the administrative steps behind the closure. The National Park Service entered a new lease agreement with the National Links Trust, the company currently operating the course. Under this agreement, the trust will cease operations at East Potomac by the close of business on or before November 15. The trust will continue to operate two other public golf courses.

Judge Reyes ordered Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward Jr. to appear in court on Friday or Monday to provide a status update. She also required at least one person from the Department of the Interior’s Office of the Solicitor with prior experience on the case to attend the hearing. This order followed the President's criticism of the temporary injunction on Tuesday.

In a post on Truth Social on Wednesday night, Trump described the golf course as "highly dangerous, dilapidated, and absolutely disgusting." He stated that Judge Reyes would be held responsible for anyone injured or killed at the facility. The President argued that local golfers who have played there for years would be thrilled by the plans to renovate the course and driving range.

The renovation is part of a wider campaign to modify Washington’s historic landscape. These projects include a ballroom at the White House, a massive arch in Memorial Circle, and a National Garden of American Heroes in West Potomac Park. The DC Preservation League, along with the Cultural Landscape Foundation and one D.C. resident, has filed lawsuits challenging these initiatives. The East Potomac case is one of two major projects with imminent starting dates currently before the courts this week.