THE DAILY BS: HOW MUCH CAN YOU HANDLE?
SPARE ME THE BS (I’ve got things to do).
- Trump says a White House staffer was struck in the chest by a golf ball at East Potomac and vows to hold Judge Ana Reyes responsible for injuries or deaths.
- The Justice Department now confirms the course will close November 15, with architect Tom Fazio’s redesign headed for planning review.
- Reyes has barred further tree removal and required advance notice of irreversible changes as the renovation lawsuit continues.
LAY IT ON ME (I’ve got time).
President Donald Trump says Washington’s public golf course has torn protective netting, exposed nails and a White House staffer already struck in the chest by a flying ball. His message to the federal judge restricting changes there: The safety complaints now have her name attached.
“We will hold the judge, Ana C. Reyes, fully responsible for anybody who is hurt, or killed,” Trump wrote Wednesday night on Truth Social.
Washington has apparently found a way to make even a trip to the driving range require litigation counsel.
Trump said balls were escaping through damaged netting at East Potomac Golf Course and described a deteriorating driving-range building, unsanitary conditions and dangerous woodwork. He said the range should immediately close for safety reasons.
The president also promised an improved public course that local residents could afford, comparing his ambitions with celebrated public venues Torrey Pines and Bethpage Black. His pitch: championship golf without turning the place into a private playground.
Meanwhile, the administration put an actual closing date into the court record.
In a Wednesday filing, the Justice Department confirmed plans to close East Potomac Park south of Buckeye Drive, including the golf course, on November 15. Fazio’s proposed design is scheduled for submission to the National Capital Planning Commission on October 30, with review December 3.
The government also cited a deteriorating seawall as a safety concern and said the existing operator, National Links Trust, would stop operating East Potomac by November 15 under a new lease agreement.
That leaves the shutdown scheduled before the commission reviews the redesign. Washington’s paperwork is still warming up while the closing date is already on the calendar.
Reyes issued her preliminary injunction Monday after the removal of roughly 430 trees. Her order bars further tree removal or damage and requires written advance notice before irreversible modifications while the lawsuit proceeds.
The DC Preservation League and golfers challenging the project argue that required environmental and preservation reviews cannot be bypassed. Reyes concluded that the administration likely violated environmental law by separating the work into smaller projects rather than reviewing the broader undertaking.
The administration has appealed. Trump wants a showcase public course; the court wants the legal process followed. For golfers hoping someone will fix the netting, neither a presidential post nor a legal brief makes much of a backstop.
DBS WIRE SOURCES (I’ve got all day).
- Mediaite — Trump’s Wednesday-night statement and safety allegations
- Associated Press — DOJ confirms November 15 closure and planning timetable
- ABC News — Reyes’s ruling and dispute over the administration’s plans
- Forbes — Safety arguments, closure filings and administration appeal
- Daily BS related: Trump’s D.C. golf makeover hits judicial sand trap — after more than 400 trees get the ax
