Park Service Says East Potomac Golf Course Will Close Nov. 15 for Trump Renovation Plan

The National Park Service said in a court filing Wednesday that it will close East Potomac Golf Links in Washington, D.C., on Nov. 15 to rebuild it as a championship-level course. The Justice Department filed the notice. It said the agency had signed a new lease with the National Links Trust, a nonprofit that runs municipal golf courses, and would submit plans to the National Capital Planning Committee on Friday, Oct. 30. The filing follows a preliminary injunction by U.S. District Judge Ana C. Reyes blocking renovation work, issued in a suit by preservation groups. In a Truth Social post Wednesday night, President Donald Trump called the course dangerous and dilapidated. He said a White House staffer was hit in the chest by a golf ball that came through holes in driving range netting, and that he would hold Reyes fully responsible for anyone hurt or killed. He said the course would stay affordable to locals; green fees now run $16 to $48. On Thursday, Rep. Jared Huffman, D-Calif., asked appropriations leaders to bar federal money from redesigning or expanding the course. The administration is requesting $500 million for Park Service construction, including the East Potomac seawall.

Right-leaning outlets diverge from each other. The Daily Mail leads with Trump's attack on Reyes, built around his quotes about a disgusting, life-threatening site and the staffer hit by a ball. It describes the injunction and the months-long court fight. Just the News leads with Huffman's maneuver and details his proposed limits, such as allowing seawall replacement but barring new buildings, tree removal and deals benefiting Trump's family, plus the $500 million request. Left-leaning outlets center the closure itself. The New Republic's headline calls it a tantrum and presents it as following the judge's order, adding the lease, the planning submission and the green-fee figures alongside Trump's claims. The New York Times is more neutral, saying the government will meet the Nov. 15 deadline Trump set. All agree on the Nov. 15 closure; they differ on whether the judge, the funding fight or the court filing is the focus. AP's coverage largely matches the filing-centered account.