Judge Probes DOJ Over Trump Golf Course Renovation Plan

A federal judge in Washington, D.C., has launched an inquiry into whether Trump administration officials and Department of Justice lawyers misled the court during a legal dispute over plans to rebuild East Potomac Golf Links. On Friday, October 30, 2026, U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes announced that she would examine potential misconduct involving government officials and legal representatives from the Justice and Interior departments.

Reyes will conduct the investigation herself with assistance from a special master, an independent neutral arbiter. The examination will focus on possible misrepresentations to the court and potential violations of professional ethics rules.

The judge identified several matters requiring scrutiny, including a notification submitted by Justice Department lawyers concerning planned tree removals at the historic public golf course. The filing came only hours before crews began cutting down hundreds of trees earlier in October.

Another issue involves a declaration prepared by Jessica Bowron, acting director of the National Park Service. Reyes will investigate whether government lawyers instructed Bowron to leave out information concerning possible redevelopment plans for the property.

The inquiry will also examine whether lawyers directed Kevin Griess, superintendent of National Mall and Memorial Parks, to include particular information about available budgetary resources in his declaration.

Statements about the administration's renovation plans are another central element of the investigation. Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward told the court on Wednesday that the government intended to close all of East Potomac Park, including its golf course, surrounding road and recreational areas, by November 15.

Woodward also submitted a design rendering for the proposed golf course, prepared by golf course architect Tom Fazio. The proposal was submitted to the National Capital Planning Commission on Friday, October 30.

Reyes has not yet appointed the special master. She gave the Justice Department five days to file objections to her decision to appoint an independent examiner.

The judge emphasized that opening the inquiry does not establish that any official or attorney committed misconduct. Her action is intended to determine whether violations occurred during the proceedings.

The legal dispute stems from a lawsuit filed by a local preservation league and two golfers challenging the administration's redevelopment plans. East Potomac Golf Links is a public course that has operated in Washington since the 1920s.

Officials from the Interior Department and Justice Department have repeatedly maintained before Reyes that no final redevelopment plan had been established, including in statements made earlier in October.

However, President Donald Trump announced on Truth Social on October 18 that the Interior Department and Fazio had developed a proposal for the property.

Trump described the proposal as a plan to build a World Class Championship Golf Course on the site. He also announced that construction work would begin November 15, when the existing facility would close.

On Monday, Trump reiterated the scheduled closure, citing competitive standards, safety, modernization and aesthetic improvements as reasons for rebuilding the facility.

During Friday's hearing, Reyes repeatedly questioned Woodward about Trump's public announcements and what the associate attorney general knew about the planned closure. Earlier in the week, the judge had also issued an order preventing the administration from cutting down additional trees at East Potomac while the lawsuit remains pending.