Public Access Preserved as Judge Blocks Immediate Closure of East Potomac Park Amid Trump Golf Project Lawsuit

Park remains open for now

Judge Ana C. Reyes temporarily barred the Trump administration from shutting East Potomac Park on Saturday. Her decision means the Washington park will remain open while the legal case moves forward.

President Trump had said the municipal course and park would close Sunday, before renovation work he had called for. Reyes found that the planned closure appeared intended to begin converting the area into a championship golf course.

The judge’s 30-page order requires the golf courses, paths and picnic areas to remain available to the public. It does not require the administration to operate the course while litigation proceeds.

Lawsuit challenges proposed changes

A preservationist organization and local golfers filed suit in February over the park’s future. They argued that the project endangered a historic course that offered recreational players an inexpensive, accessible option.

Reyes has overseen contentious litigation for months. Earlier decisions dealt more narrowly with whether officials could remove trees at the site, making Saturday’s order her first to block work more generally in the park.

Broader standoff continues

The case is part of a wider conflict between the judge and administration officials over plans for the park. Reyes has repeatedly accused officials of hiding their efforts to advance President Trump’s proposals.

The latest order pauses the proposed closure, but the dispute over the park and golf course remains unresolved. The administration is not responsible for running the course while the case continues.