A federal judge on Monday refused to issue an immediate order blocking the Trump administration from shutting down East Potomac Golf Links, but she made clear she would not hesitate to intervene if the government starts bulldozing the historic public course.
“I don’t want to be the overseer of Parks and Rec. I’m no Amy Poehler,” U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes said during a hastily arranged hearing, drawing a line between her role and the fictional TV show. Reyes, a Biden appointee, ordered government lawyers to work through the night to prepare for the morning session after news reports detailed renovation plans that could begin as early as this week.
The lawsuit, filed in February by the D.C. Preservation League and two local golfers, gained urgency after reports from NOTUS and The Washington Post indicated that tree removal and deferred maintenance work were scheduled to start Monday. The plaintiffs argued the administration was using routine upkeep as a pretext for major construction that would permanently alter the course.
Will Bardwell, an attorney for the plaintiffs with the left-leaning Democracy Forward Foundation, warned that the government would “use this as an excuse to begin hardcore construction under the guise of taking down a dying tree.” He drew a parallel to the administration’s takeover of the Kennedy Center, saying, “We don’t want what happened at the Kennedy Center to happen here.”
Kevin Griess, who oversees National Park Service sites in Washington, pushed back, telling the judge that officials only planned to tag dying trees and assess conditions. “Right now, business as usual,” Griess insisted, adding there were no immediate plans to raze the course.
Despite declining to block the closure outright, Reyes imposed conditions: the government must notify the preservation group if it plans to cut down more than 10 trees or if its plans change. She warned, “If bulldozers show up, we’re not doing a whole briefing schedule. I’m going to make people show up with documents pretty quickly.”
The case comes amid broader tensions over the Trump administration’s management of federal property and public lands. The economic pressures from the administration’s policies have also drawn scrutiny, as have its moves to reshape Washington institutions.
Construction crews have already been dumping debris from the East Wing demolition on the golf course for months, according to court filings. The preservationists argue the administration is bypassing environmental reviews and public input requirements.
Reyes’s ruling keeps the course open for now, but the judge’s sharp language signals she is prepared to act fast if the government oversteps. The next hearing is expected within weeks unless the parties reach a settlement.
