Trump wants to close East Potomac Golf Course for 15 months – despite judge's stop

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US President Trump wants to close the East Potomac Golf Course in Washington D.C. for 15 months and carry out extensive renovations – even though a judge had just stopped the ongoing renovation work via emergency order the previous week. For golfers in the capital and everyone who regularly uses the sprawling facility in East Potomac Park, this means: at least one full season will be lost.

What Trump announced on Saturday

On October 18, 2026, according to matching reports from CNBC and The Athletic, Trump announced the closure of the East Potomac Golf Course in southern Washington for 15 months. CNBC calls the course "historic"; The Athletic names it directly and speaks of an extensive redesign. Neither source reports on concrete construction plans, costs, or a fixed start date for the closure.

Why a judge already intervened

CNBC describes it clearly: A judge had just issued a construction stop until at least October 26 the previous week. The reason was that the government had already felled trees on a large scale there – the judiciary explicitly rebuked this approach. The Athletic classifies the stop as an emergency stay and notes: Trump's announcement came "less than a week" after this court order. Both sources thus paint the same picture – the president is staging his plan even though a court has just put the brakes on him.

What this concretely means for the capital

Anyone in Washington who regularly plays at East Potomac, uses the driving range there, or visits the facility in winter must prepare for well over a year of closure. 15 months – that's roughly 65 weeks without the storied course. The sources also make clear: as long as the tree-clearing work is blocked by court order, the 15-month plan cannot begin on schedule. The judicial stop runs at least until October 26 – what happens after that remains open.

Reaction rather than retreat

Trump is certainly not pulling back with this public announcement. On the contrary: the closure is being announced despite the ongoing proceedings – as a clear signal. How the court responds and whether it imposes further conditions beyond October 26 will show who ultimately has the last word over the historic golf course.