President Donald Trump announced Sunday that East Potomac Golf Links, a historic public course in Washington, D.C., will close Nov. 15 for about 15 months to be rebuilt as a championship-level venue. The East Potomac Golf Links closure, which Trump said follows a plan drawn up with architect Tom Fazio, comes while a federal judge weighs a lawsuit over tree removal at the course.
How the East Potomac Announcement Unfolded
Trump made the announcement on Truth Social, and released an image of what the redesigned course could look like. He said he wants to turn the property into “one of the Best and Most Spectacular Golf Courses anywhere in the World.” And He described the current layout as dilapidated, citing diseased trees and a hazardous seawall. He also said the finished course will be open to the public and able to host the U.S. Open, PGA Championship, Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup.
DC News Now reported that the plan would reduce East Potomac from three courses to one, with a new driving range and putting course.
The announcement is the latest chapter in a long fight over the site. The Trump administration terminated the National Links Trust’s 50-year lease on D.C.’s public courses late last year. A federal judge ordered the government in May to get court approval before cutting down more than 10 trees at the course.
Then came the holiday weekend. At 4:55 p.m. ET on Friday, Oct. 9, the government posted a plan to remove up to 529 trees. At least 430 were razed by the end of the next day. Judge Ana Reyes said at an emergency hearing Oct. 12 that she was “furious.” She then barred further tree removal through Oct. 26. The Park Service has said the work was meant to restore the course’s historic links-style character.
Key Details at a Glance
| Detail | What has been reported |
|---|---|
| Announced | Sunday, Oct. 18, 2026, on Truth Social |
| Closure begins | Nov. 15 |
| Duration | About 15 months |
| Architect | Tom Fazio |
| Reported layout | Three courses reduced to one, plus a new driving range and putting course |
| Cost | Not disclosed |
| Court status | No further tree removal through Oct. 26 |
| Plaintiffs | DC Preservation League and two local golfers |
What the East Potomac Golf Links Closure Means for Golfers
East Potomac has been open to Washingtonians of all income levels. Opponents of the redevelopment argue that a high-end course would change the character of the space and make it less affordable. The National Park Service owns the land.
The championship ambitions are the golf angle. A course built to a championship standard does not by itself land a major. Those events are awarded by the USGA, the PGA of America and the PGA Tour, and no tournament has been announced for the site.
Trump’s golf ties are well established. Fazio has worked on four previous Trump courses. Trump’s Doral hosted the PGA Tour’s Cadillac Championship this year, and LIV Golf has played at Doral, Bedminster and Trump National Washington, D.C. Another detail complicates the project. The Park Service has said debris from the White House East Wing demolition dumped on the grounds tested positive for lead, chromium and other toxic metals.
What Happens Next?
The legal fight comes to a head Monday, Oct. 19. Reyes ordered Jessica Bowron, acting director of the National Park Service, and Gregory Wischer, an Interior Department deputy chief of staff, to appear. She also ordered Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward to attend.
Justice Department lawyers argued in a Friday filing that the redevelopment plan was only preliminary and that there is no final agency action. Reyes asked the administration to say whether that position had changed after Trump’s post. The Justice Department has also asked Reyes to step aside, alleging bias. She has not been removed. Plaintiffs have asked for a longer-lasting preliminary injunction or stay.
The renovation’s future remains subject to the litigation and the court’s orders. Whether the gates close on Nov. 15 may depend as much on a federal courtroom as on any blueprint.