Trump rages at judge holding up DC golf course as president remains fixated on renovation projects

Trump rages at judge holding up DC golf course as president remains fixated on renovation projects Deriding East Potomac Golf Links as ‘Trash Island,’ Trump argued a rebuild would attract major events such as the US Open and Ryder Cup - Bookmark - CommentsGo to comments Become an Independent member to bookmark this article Already a member? Log in President Donald Trump railed against the federal judge overseeing a lawsuit challenging his plans to overhaul a public golf course in Washington, D.C. while remaining publicly silent on a historic nationwide air travel shutdown. In a lengthy Truth Social post Saturday afternoon, Trump criticized U.S. District Judge Ana C. Reyes for blocking his administration from moving ahead quickly with a renovation of East Potomac Golf Links, a nearly 400-acre public park and course along the Potomac River that the president repeatedly referred to as “Trash Island.” The president also posted dozens of unflattering photos of the park, which he also did a few weeks prior. “Trash Island is currently the Worst Golf Course anywhere in the World, but the Department of the Interior is going to make it into the Best Golf Course anywhere in the World,” Trump wrote, claiming the layout was “very dangerous” because the fairways were too close together. Trump’s focus on his capital building plans comes as he has yet to make a public statement regarding Friday’s nationwide Federal Aviation Administration ground stop — a rare telecommunications failure that halted all U.S. airport departures for more than four hours and led to over 9,000 flight cancellations. It was the second nationwide ground stop of all departures since the September 11, 2001 attacks. The President is getting constant updates on the situation, a White House official said Friday. In his Truth Social post, Trump argued the overhaul would attract major tournaments like the U.S. Open and Ryder Cup, and promised a 50 percent discount on rates for Washington-area residents. The president also touted other federal maintenance work in the capital, including updates to 83 fountains, monuments and statues, as well as repairs to the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, while claiming crime in the city had dropped by 91 percent. Critics and political observers have pointed to Trump’s continued push for large-scale Washington construction projects as disconnected from voter priorities following the recent midterm elections, in which Democrats won control of Congress. The legal dispute escalated during a contentious court hearing on Friday. Reyes warned that she would initiate contempt or sanctions proceedings within a “zeptosecond” — which she noted is the shortest measured unit of time — if she found credible evidence that administration officials destroyed documents tied to Trump’s Washington renovation projects. Her warning followed whistleblower allegations reported to Democratic lawmakers claiming officials were deleting records related to the president’s building initiatives. Preservation groups and local golfers sued the administration to block the closure of the park, arguing that officials were using safety concerns as an excuse to turn an affordable public space into an exclusive, high-end golf club. While Justice Department attorneys initially told the court there were no immediate plans to shutter the facility, filings later confirmed the administration intended to close the course on November 15 for a roughly 15-month rebuild. The Justice Department pushed back in court filings Friday against Reyes’s recent decision to appoint a former federal prosecutor to investigate whether government lawyers lied or violated ethics rules over the shifting timeline, arguing there was "no reasonable basis" for an inquiry. The administration has maintained that deteriorating infrastructure, including a failing seawall, requires closing the grounds, and the nonprofit that manages the course is set to end its operations after this weekend. However, Reyes questioned the urgency of shutting down the park, pointing out that thousands of runners recently passed through the area during the Marine Corps Marathon without safety warnings. During Friday’s hearing, the judge also asked spectators in the courtroom to raise their hands if they opposed the renovation design — and then instructed a senior Justice Department official to turn around and look as a large majority of the more than 100 people in attendance raised their hands. Join our commenting forum Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies Comments [Image text:] USA THE OFTHE TED