Sparks Fly As Judge Unleashes Fury Over Justice Department Ignoring Orders Concerning Trump’s DC Golf Course Makeover

Oct 31, 2026 03:05 PM EDT, Sat

Fiery golf course hearing ends with a bang: Judge calls for a probe into government lawyers

U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes says DOJ lawyers have given her false information in the case deciding the fate of a D.C. golf course.

By Fallon Gallagher and Selena Kuznikov

Oct. 30, 2026, 2:55 PM EDT

A federal judge who has openly sparred with government attorneys throughout the case of a D.C. golf course is launching a formal inquiry into their conduct to determine if they misrepresented President Donald Trump’s plans, which he has publicly announced on social media.

At the end of a two-and-a-half-hour hearing Friday, U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes said the court could conduct the investigation itself or appoint a special master to do so.

She said a probe would focus on whether Justice Department lawyers have committed any ethical violations during proceedings, including if they have made false statements, withheld testimony or interfered with witness testimony.

Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward and other lawyers representing the Trump administration have repeatedly argued in court that there is no final plan to close and renovate East Potomac — which Trump intends to transform into a championship-style golf course — despite the president’s Truth Social posts earlier this month that have announced it would close on Nov. 15.

Two days ago, Woodward informed the court that the Department of Interior was “working to develop a plan” to close the course — on or around Nov. 15.

The disconnect between the statements in her courtroom and Trump’s statements on social media frustrated Reyes, who repeatedly asked Woodward if the president’s post meant that he was directing the DOI and National Park Service to close the course on that date.

Woodward responded that we could not know what the president meant by the post and could not opine on his choice of words. Reyes was not convinced.

“You are telling me, as the third-highest-ranking official at the Department of Justice … you are saying to me, ‘do not believe the president.’”

In response to today’s hearing, a Justice Department spokesperson told MS NOW, “The Department of Justice will not be deterred from executing on the President’s agenda.”

Throughout the fiery hearing, Reyes questioned DOJ attorneys on if they misled the court about plans for the golf course. When asked when work began on a submission of a renovation proposal to the National Capital Planning Commission, Woodward said there has been consideration of various plans for renovation “for some time now.”

Reyes asked if Woodward was telling her that no DOJ counsel decided to inform the court of plans that had been ongoing for weeks to send a proposal to the NCPC. Woodward responded that he did not recall the court asking a question about whether they were coming up with a plan to send.

“Are you kidding me right now?” Reyes erupted. “Seriously Mr. Woodward, come on.”

While Reyes concluded the hearing with her announcement of an investigation into the DOJ lawyers’ conduct, she emphasized the court has not yet determined they committed any ethical violations.

Reyes has made no secret of her disappointment with how the DOJ lawyers have conducted themselves in the case, in one previous hearing telling them, “You did your absolute worst.””

On Monday, Reyes indefinitely blocked the Trump administration from removing even a single tree from the course in Washington, D.C. She has ordered the government to provide notice of at least 10 business days before any closure or “irreversible modification” to East Potomac Park.

In the scathing 70-page ruling, Reyes scolded the Trump administration for the disparity between Trump’s statements and those of his lawyers.

“Rarely, if ever, has the United States Department of Justice urged a federal court not to believe the sitting President. Not to believe him that a cabinet secretary has ‘developed’ a federal land project. Not to believe him that the secretary’s agency will destroy a historic golf course already on the land. Not to believe him that ‘Restoration work’ will begin ‘IMMEDIATELY!’ Not to believe him that the course ‘will be closed’ for over a year. Not to believe what the President has repeatedly told the American public,” Reyes wrote.

“And yet, here we are.”

The Trump administration appealed that ruling and the case remains pending.

Fallon Gallagher is a legal affairs reporter for MS NOW.

Selena Kuznikov is a desk associate at MS NOW covering politics in Washington, D.C.

  1. Katie Zacharia lasted less than half a Scaramucci2 as White House Press Press Secretary. 2026-10-12 – 2026-10-16 ↩

  2. Anthony Scaramucci / LinkedIn White House Press Communications Director. 2007-07-21 – 2007-07-31 ↩

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