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A federal judge in Washington, D.C., has initiated a formal inquiry into possible misconduct by Trump administration officials and Department of Justice attorneys, examining whether government lawyers repeatedly misrepresented plans to overhaul a municipal golf course at East Potomac Park.
Formal Misconduct Inquiry Launched
U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes convened a hearing on Friday after government lawyers acknowledged in a Wednesday court filing that a finalized plan exists to transform the municipal golf course into a championship-level venue, closing the site in mid-November. For months, Justice Department attorneys representing the Department of the Interior and the National Park Service had maintained in court that no final plan existed, despite public social media posts from President Donald Trump stating otherwise.
During the four-hour hearing, Reyes cited D.C. Bar Rule of Professional Conduct 3.3, which prohibits lawyers from knowingly presenting false statements to a court. She questioned Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward Jr., the third-highest-ranking official at the Justice Department, regarding the timing and status of the administration’s plans. Under questioning, Woodward acknowledged that a submission to the National Capital Planning Commission had been in preparation for several weeks, prompting Reyes to question why government lawyers had not disclosed this during previous proceedings.
Reyes announced she would open a formal inquiry to determine whether agency officials and attorneys made misrepresentations or violated ethical rules. She stated the investigation may be led by an appointed special master with full investigative authority and ordered government officials to preserve all relevant documents. In an earlier 70-page opinion extending a ban on tree removal at the park, Reyes noted, “Rarely, if ever, has the United States Department of Justice urged a federal court not to believe the sitting president.”
Abrupt Shift in Government Claims
The legal dispute intensified earlier this month after workers removed hundreds of trees at East Potomac Park with less than a day’s notice. While administration officials stated the tree-clearing was separate from any renovation project, Reyes characterized it as a pretext to start work without required approvals and halted major renovations, a decision the government appealed.
On Wednesday night, Justice Department filings confirmed that the National Park Service would submit plans designed by golf course architect Tom Fazio for a championship-level venue capable of hosting major events. The filings also stated that the National Park Service entered a new lease agreement with the National Links Trust, the non-profit operating the site. Under the agreement, the organization will continue operating D.C.’s two other municipal courses under a 50-year lease but will cease operations at East Potomac on or around November 15.
Seawall Repair Arguments and Congressional Response
Government attorneys asserted that closing the park is necessary to repair a crumbling, century-old seawall along the Potomac River. In an official declaration, National Park Service Acting Director Jessica Bowron stated that deteriorating seawalls cause sections of the adjacent sidewalk to submerge twice daily during high tides, creating ground voids and damaging nearby trees. Woodward estimated seawall repair costs between $150 million and $400 million, though Reyes questioned why officials had not mentioned the seawall issues during earlier court hearings.
Trump also cited safety concerns in social media posts, writing that holes in the driving range net allowed high-speed golf balls to hit visitors, including a White House staff member. He stated he would hold Reyes responsible for any injuries on the course.
In response to the administration’s plans, Representative Jared Huffman, the ranking Democrat on the House Natural Resources Committee, sent a letter to congressional appropriations leaders requesting legislative language to block federal funding for the project. Huffman urged lawmakers to prevent taxpayer funds from being used for the seawall repair to facilitate the golf course overhaul, pointing to an 1897 act of Congress that established East Potomac Park to be “forever held and used as a park for the recreation and pleasure of the people.”
