President Donald Trump has announced a plan to turn East Potomac Golf Links in Washington, D.C., into a championship course designed to host some of the world’s biggest golf events. The project is expected to take about 15 months, but a legal dispute over the site could affect the administration’s next steps.
Trump revealed the plan in a Truth Social post on Sunday. He said the Interior Department had worked with golf course architect Tom Fazio to develop a design for the existing public course.
The president said the rebuilt facility would be open to the public while meeting the standards needed for major tournaments. He listed the U.S. Open, the PGA Championship, the Ryder Cup and the Presidents Cup as possible events for the site.
Trump said construction would begin on November 15. He expects the work to take around 15 months to finish.
The announcement comes as the administration faces a lawsuit over its plans for East Potomac Golf Links. A preservation group and two Washington residents have challenged the proposed changes, bringing the project under the review of a federal court.
Following Trump’s statement, U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes asked the administration to clarify whether it still considers the redevelopment a preliminary idea. She also asked whether government lawyers would continue to argue that no “final agency action” had taken place.
The question is central to the legal dispute. Justice Department attorneys have previously told the court that plans to create a championship-style golf course were hypothetical and had not become a formal government plan.
National Park Service officials gave similar testimony last week. They told Reyes that they knew of no official renovation plan beyond information contained in earlier social media posts from Trump and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum.
Trump’s latest announcement has added pressure on the administration to explain its position. The court now needs to understand whether the proposal has advanced beyond the preliminary stage described by government lawyers.
The dispute also concerns work already carried out at the golf course. The administration has removed hundreds of trees from the site, prompting strong criticism from Reyes.
Last week, the judge extended a restriction that prevents the government from cutting down more trees through October 26. The order came after concerns about the pace of work and whether the administration had followed assurances made to the court.
Reyes said she was furious about the tree removal. She explained that the plaintiffs had repeatedly warned that the work might happen, but she had trusted the government not to take the disputed action.
The judge said the incident had cost the administration its credibility. Her comments raised concerns about the reliability of the government’s promises during the case.
Reyes had earlier rejected a request from the plaintiffs for a restraining order. Lawyers representing the Trump administration had assured her that officials would give sufficient notice before carrying out major work at the course.
The judge later required the administration to provide written notice at least three business days before making any change that could cause irreparable harm to the site. The notice must go to both the court and the plaintiffs.
The requirement gives the challengers time to respond before further changes are made. It also allows the court to consider the possible impact of the work while the lawsuit continues.
Trump has presented the proposed redevelopment as an upgrade that could bring major golf tournaments to the capital. Keeping the course open to the public is also a central part of his announcement.
However, the plan faces questions about how the project was approved and whether the administration can move ahead while the legal challenge remains unresolved. The judge’s request for clarification could help establish the government’s formal position.
The proposed November 15 start date is approaching, while the court’s restrictions on tree removal remain in place. The administration must address the judge’s concerns as the case proceeds.
For now, the future of East Potomac Golf Links remains uncertain. Trump has outlined an ambitious vision for a public championship course, but the project’s path will depend in part on the administration’s response to the court and the outcome of the ongoing legal dispute.
