Judge presses government over Trump’s East Potomac golf course plans

Judge Ana C. Reyes pressed the government in court over whether President Donald Trump’s plans to renovate East Potomac Golf Links were already moving ahead without approval. The dispute centers on a 210-acre municipal course on federal land at Hains Point in East Potomac Park, where Trump said on June 28 that work would begin Sept. 1 after touring the site with Interior Secretary Doug Burgum and architect Tom Fazio. He called the course “virtually unplayable” and said the rebuilt layout would be one of the greatest in the world.

East Potomac Golf Links opened in 1920 and was originally whites-only before desegregation in 1941. The course is also a contributing site in the East and West Potomac Parks National Historic District, which was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973. With views of the Washington Monument and the Potomac River, it remains one of the most visible public golf sites in the capital.

Alex Dickson and Dave Roberts filed suit in February 2026, arguing that the government’s actions violated the Administrative Procedure Act, the National Environmental Policy Act and the National Historic Preservation Act. The D.C. Preservation League and Democracy Forward have also pushed back against the administration.

A May 2026 deal allowed National Links Trust to keep operating East Potomac until the federal overhaul begins and gave the nonprofit long-term leases for Washington’s other two public courses, Langston Golf Course and Rock Creek Park Golf. The plan aims to keep golf affordable and deliver improvements the public can enjoy. Critics warn the redesign could raise costs, reduce access for everyday golfers and turn a municipal course into something closer to a major championship venue.

The broader East Potomac Park project also includes infrastructure work, including rebuilding a seawall that could cost upwards of $600 million, and Burgum is set to oversee the effort.