President Trump is taking aim at a federal judge who blocked his administration’s renovation plans for a historic Washington, D.C., golf course, warning she will be held responsible if anyone is hurt there.
In a lengthy Truth Social post late Wednesday, Trump called East Potomac Golf Course “highly dangerous, dilapidated, and absolutely disgusting,” sharing photos of debris, damaged concrete pathways, torn protective netting and a patchy driving range.
“We will hold the judge, Ana C. Reyes, fully responsible for anybody who is hurt, or killed, on this very dangerous, dilapidated, and unsightly Golf Course,” Trump wrote.
The president said balls flying through gaps in the netting were hitting unsuspecting golfers, including a White House staffer who was “hit violently in the chest.” He did not provide further details. Trump also said the driving range building was falling apart and should be “closed immediately for safety reasons.”
Trump has pledged to transform the 106-year-old public course into a “WORLD CLASS PUBLIC Golf Course” that remains “AFFORDABLE for locals,” comparing it to famed public courses Torrey Pines and Bethpage Black.
On Monday, U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes, a Biden appointee, issued a preliminary injunction barring the administration from cutting down any more trees at the site and requiring at least 10 business days’ written notice before any irreversible changes. The ruling came after roughly 430 trees were removed from the course earlier this month with less than 24 hours’ notice.
Reyes found the administration likely violated federal environmental law by splitting its renovation plan into smaller projects to avoid a comprehensive review. She also criticized Justice Department lawyers for insisting no renovation plans existed despite the president’s public statements. Trump called the decision unconstitutional, and the administration has filed an appeal.
In court filings Wednesday, the Justice Department confirmed the National Park Service plans to close part of East Potomac Park, including the golf course, on Nov. 15. The department acknowledged the president had twice directed the closure and said a new lease agreement was signed under which the nonprofit National Links Trust will stop operating the course by that date.
The DOJ argued the closure was necessary regardless of the course’s final design, pointing to safety hazards including a deteriorating seawall it described as in significant disrepair. The department also said it would submit architect Tom Fazio’s proposed championship-level design to the National Capital Planning Commission, which is scheduled to review it Dec. 3.
The president’s post came just days before the midterm elections, which will determine control of both chambers of Congress.
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