Interior Aims to Shut East Potomac Golf Links by Nov. 15

The Department of the Interior is drafting a plan to close East Potomac Golf Links in Washington, D.C., by Nov. 15, according to senior Justice Department officials. This action follows recent directives from President Donald Trump, who indicated the historic course would shut temporarily next month to undergo a redesign.

Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward confirmed the president's social media posts in a brief filed with the U.S. district court on Wednesday. Trump previously stated the course would close for "Competitive (with other such projects!), Safety, Modernization, and Aesthetic reasons." Woodward noted that Interior is working through counsel to develop a plan to execute this direction and will notify the court of its progress.

The filing marks the latest development in a legal dispute that began months ago. A local preservation group and two golfers challenged the course's future, arguing that the administration was moving too quickly. The public course has operated since 1920, and its potential closure has drawn scrutiny from legal and preservation advocates.

Administration officials had previously described the renovation as a "possible project" rather than a finalized proposal. That stance shifted earlier this month when Trump announced that Interior Secretary Doug Burgum and golf-course architect Tom Fazio had developed a plan for a "World Class Championship Golf Course." Trump said the new facility would open in approximately 15 months.

The announcement followed U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes' decision to halt tree removal at the site. More than 500 trees were cut down over a single weekend prior to the judge's intervention. On Monday, Reyes issued a ruling that continues to bar the government from removing or damaging trees while the litigation proceeds. The challengers argued the felling was part of the new course plan, a claim Reyes accepted.

In a 70-page ruling, Reyes questioned the government's consistency. She wrote that the Department of Justice had rarely urged a federal court not to believe the sitting President. This referenced a hearing where Woodward stated there was "no plan to close the course" despite Trump's public statements. The judge described the case as evolving from a dispute over golf into a reconciliation of conflicting sworn testimony and presidential assertions.

The Justice Department has appealed Reyes' decision regarding the trees. A court hearing is scheduled for Friday or Monday to determine how the case should proceed. The plaintiffs have not yet filed a motion to block the Nov. 15 closure and subsequent overhaul.