WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — President Donald Trump announced plans Sunday to close a historic public golf course in the nation’s capital for 15 months and redevelop it despite an ongoing legal challenge to its long-sought renovation.
Trump announced on social media his intention to close the East Potomac Golf Course, not far from the White House, starting November 15, to make it “one of the best and most spectacular golf courses in the world.”
Last week, however, a judge ordered a halt to its redevelopment plans until at least Oct. 26, after chastising the government for beginning large-scale tree felling on the course over a holiday weekend, while giving little notice to the court or plaintiffs who were trying to stop the transformation.
Trump did not acknowledge the legal fight in his message, which included an artist’s rendering of the course redesign.
“When completed, it will be open to the public while being designed for the highest level of golf and capable of hosting world-class tournaments such as the U.S. Open, PGA Championship, Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup,” Trump wrote.
Democracy Forward, which represents plaintiffs challenging its renovation plans, responded by saying the course is part of a national park and recreational facility that everyone can enjoy.
“Our litigation aims to protect this community gem for the people and communities it serves and we will continue to work with our plaintiffs to defend it against illegal and harmful intrusion,” Skye Perryman, the group’s president and CEO, said in a statement.
The judge in the case took note of Trump’s online post and ordered the government to let him know by 8 p.m. EDT Sunday whether its position had changed from a court filing Friday that said “at most” Trump had given “preliminary consideration” to the rebuilding plan and “there is no final agency action.”
The capital’s transformation extends well beyond the fairways
Trump, an avid golfer who plays often, had previously announced plans to redevelop the links as part of his broader effort to renovate and renovate venues around Washington, including the White House and the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Many of his plans, including a massive ballroom at the White House, putting his own name on the Kennedy Center and building a massive arch, have been challenged in court.
The 106-year-old park and course have been the subject of numerous emergency hearings as the president sought to renovate them. Although it is open to Washingtonians of all income levels, opponents of Trump’s plan to make it an upscale course have argued that it would change the character of the space and make it less affordable for people.
In his message, Trump echoed arguments he has made to justify his plan to remake the Kennedy Center, saying it is in such dangerous condition that it must close.
READ MORE: Federal judge orders Trump administration to halt work for one day on historic DC golf course
“The current course is old, broken, dilapidated and of no further use or effect. It is in very poor condition, with falling, dangerous and disease-infested trees and, most importantly, a collapsed and dangerous sea wall,” Trump wrote.
Debris from the demolition of the White House’s East Wing to make way for its ballroom project was also dumped on the grounds. The National Park Service said the debris tested positive for lead, chromium and other toxic metals.
Trump also sought to justify the National Park Service’s removal of hundreds of trees that the judge had suspended, writing in his announcement that when the gold course was originally built, “it was famous for its treelessness, with a view of Washington, D.C., for all to see, but now it is completely overgrown, dysfunctional and dangerous.”
Case returns to court and administration seeks to remove judge
Trump’s message outlining a clear plan for construction complicates a federal court hearing scheduled for Monday in a lawsuit filed by the D.C. Preservation League and two golfers opposed to the construction.
U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes ordered key members of the Republican administration to testify about the recent tree cutting and whether those actions are related to the president’s plans for historic public ties.
The administration on Friday requested Reyes’ replacement in the case, questioning his impartiality and citing what it called “egregious” behavior by the court in response to an emergency hearing on Oct. 12. Her frustration boiled over during a three-hour hearing when she blasted the government’s lawyer for the lack of notice she and the plaintiffs received before the trees were cut down.
At the next hearing, the judge is expected to respond to the resignation request. Meanwhile, over the weekend, the plaintiffs requested that she grant them a longer preliminary injunction in the case and/or a stay.
Associated Press writer Gary Fields in Washington contributed to this report.
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