Justice Department confirms Trump’s plan to close East Potomac Park for golf redesign
A DOJ filing on Oct. 30 verifies the president’s announced 15‑month closure of the historic D.C. golf course.
By Felo News Desk · Published
The U.S. Justice Department filed a court notice on Wednesday night confirming President Donald Trump’s statements that East Potomac Park will close on 15 November 2026 for a 15‑month renovation into a championship‑level golf facility.
What happened
The filing states that on Friday, 30 October 2026 the National Park Service will submit a rendering by golf‑course architect Tom Fazio to the National Capital Planning Commission for review. The design is described as a "World Class, championship‑level" course capable of hosting events such as the U.S. Open. The notice further says that the National Park Service will close the portion of East Potomac Park south of Buckeye Drive, including the golf course, on 15 November 2026, in line with the president’s directive. The planning commission is scheduled to consider the proposal at its meeting on 3 December 2026.
What the reports add
Both Independent articles convey the same filing details, but Source 1 notes that the filing is the latest development in a 10‑day period triggered by Trump’s 18 October social‑media post. Source 2 adds that the filing follows a preliminary injunction issued by U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes on 26 October, which cited discrepancies between the president’s public claims and testimony from Justice Department, Interior Department and National Park Service officials who said they had no knowledge of the plans.
What was said
The filing quotes the president’s earlier social‑media announcement that the park would be closed for 15 months to become a "world‑class facility." No new spoken remarks are included in the DOJ notice.
How it came about
Trump first announced the closure on 18 October via Truth Social, prompting a lawsuit from the DC Preservation League and two golfers. Judge Ana Reyes halted tree removal at the course on 26 October and later issued a preliminary injunction, questioning the administration’s claims. Felo’s earlier coverage documented the judge’s skepticism about tree cuts (link) and the president’s initial announcement (link). The current DOJ filing represents the administration’s formal response to those legal challenges.
Key facts
- The Justice Department filed a court notice confirming the closure of East Potomac Park on 15 November 2026. (independent.co.uk)
- The National Park Service will submit a Tom Fazio rendering to the National Capital Planning Commission on 30 October 2026. (independent.co.uk)
- The planning commission will review the proposal at its 3 December 2026 meeting. (independent.co.uk)
Timeline
- 2026-10-18 — President Trump announced on Truth Social that East Potomac Golf Course will close on 15 Nov for 15 months.
- 2026-10-26 — U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes issued a preliminary injunction halting tree removal and questioning the administration’s claims.
- 2026-10-30 — Justice Department filed notice confirming the closure and design submission.
- 2026-12-03 — National Capital Planning Commission scheduled to review the golf‑course rendering.
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