Housing & Development · Washington, DC
Judge Orders DOJ Clarification on East Potomac Golf Course Closure Plans
U.S. Judge Ana Reyes ordered the Justice Department to clarify whether plans exist to close East Potomac Golf Course around November 15, 2026, and directed Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward Jr. to appear for a status hearing Friday or Monday. A preliminary injunction issued Monday temporarily bars the government from removing or damaging additional trees on the course and requires 10 days' written notice before any "irreparable modification." The injunction followed at least 400 trees cut down over a holiday weekend with little notice to plaintiffs DC Preservation League and two golfers, who claim the renovation inflicts irreversible damage. Critics say the project will make playing there unaffordable for the general public and destroy the site's other uses.