A temporary federal court order has halted further tree work at Washington’s East Potomac Golf Links, while President Donald Trump’s rebuilding plan has brought broader public uses of Hains Point into focus.
Trump announced Oct. 18 that the golf course would close Nov. 15 for about 15 months while it is rebuilt as a tournament-capable 18-hole course. He said the completed course would be open to the public and could host the U.S. Open and PGA Championship. His post did not include a fee schedule.
NPR reported that the rendering spans the existing playground and picnic area and does not show the perimeter road. The outlet also reported that runners, cyclists, picnickers and birders use the peninsula. In an Oct. 18 filing, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) said the National Park Service (NPS) had not finished reviewing the proposal, which could still be revised.
The site has a long public-recreation history. An 1897 act of Congress dedicated the reclaimed Potomac Flats to park use, saying they were “to be forever held and used as a park for the recreation and pleasure of the people.” NPS records say the area that became East Potomac Park was transferred for development in 1912. NPS inventories list three adjacent golf courses totaling 36 holes, along with a driving range, practice greens and miniature golf.
Tree clearing is the subject of a separate lawsuit. A court opinion says the government planned to remove as many as 529 trees and that about 430 healthy, non-invasive trees were cut Oct. 10. U.S. District Judge Ana C. Reyes temporarily barred additional work under the tree-management plan through Monday, Oct. 26. At this preliminary stage, Reyes found plaintiffs likely to succeed on their claim that the plan failed to meet National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) review requirements. The order restrains work under the tree plan; it does not resolve the proposed golf redesign.
NPS says the tree project follows recommendations from a 2019 cultural-landscape report, including selective removal to restore the course’s more open, links-style character. Golfers would lose access during the announced rebuild.
Ashley Hawkins, a runner quoted by NPR, said, “Running is so tied to my mental health.” The tree-work order runs through Monday, Oct. 26; Trump announced Nov. 15 as the golf course closure date.
