A federal judge was adamant Monday that the Trump administration must give proper notice before renovating the East Potomac Golf Links, warning of “serious consequences” if it fails to do so.
US District Judge Ana Reyes voiced concerns that the administration will follow the White House ballroom playbook and proceed with construction first and then deal with the legal fallout later.
“Let’s just say, given some issues around the District recently, I would have a particular concern that we not act first and ask forgiveness later,” Reyes said during a Monday hearing, per the Washington Post.
“Because that’s not going to be acceptable, and I want you to make sure that that’s fully communicated to the agency. If anything like that happens, there are going to be serious consequences.”
Attorneys for the administration asserted that the central DC golf course will stay open, trying to allay concerns about a report from NOTUS that renovations would begin Monday.
Following the NOTUS report, the anti-Trump Democracy Forward group lodged an emergency petition, urging the court to stop the administration from beginning work on the golf course.
At one point during the testy hearing, Reyes was given a note.
“It looks like there were signs on the golf course that there were closures,” she said.
Government attorneys claimed they weren’t aware of those closures.
Ultimately, the East Potomac Golf Links stayed open on Monday. Reyes rejected the group’s request for a temporary restraining order and allowed the government to carry on with maintenance work on the property.
“I don’t want to be the overseer of parks and rec. I’m no Amy Poehler,” Reyes quipped.
The National Park Service and National Links Trust have been overseeing the East Potomac Golf Links and the other two major DC courses since 2020. Last December, NPS ended its 50-year lease with the National Links Trust, but the group is still temporarily overseeing DC’s three golf courses.
Controversy over the White House ballroom project, where Trump bulldozed down the East Wing, as well as the Trump-Kennedy Center drama, loomed over the hearing.
“Trust is no longer an option,” attorneys for the plaintiffs reportedly said. “As it did with the East Wing, the administration has chosen arbitrariness over abiding by the law.”
While Reyes appeared to make a few passing references to those legal skirmishes as well.
“I do not want a situation where something has happened, and then I’m being told by the government or by a foundation or by a bulldozing company that it’s too late to do anything about it,” she reportedly stressed.
“If anyone orders big things to show up — by big things, I mean anything bigger than my sedan — then I want the plaintiffs to have notice.”
She also said that she wanted to be informed if more than 10 trees were going to be cut down.
Attorneys for the Trump administration claimed no final decisions have been made on redesigning the golf course and faulted the plaintiffs’ attorneys for leaning on news reports.
They claimed to be eyeing work such as basic repairs and debris cleanup for the time being.
