Judge opens inquiry into whether DOJ lied to court in East Potomac golf course fight

A federal judge has opened a formal investigation into whether the Trump administration lied to her in the legal fight over President Trump's plan to redevelop East Potomac Golf Links, a public course in Washington. U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes announced it Friday at a hearing ¹.

The court will open a formal inquiry into whether agency officials and employees, including agency attorneys and DOJ attorneys, have made misrepresentations to the court and otherwise violated ethical rules

Reyes said she will run the inquiry herself or appoint a special master, an outside official named by a court to investigate. She acted after learning the government has been working to submit the redesign plan to the National Capital Planning Commission, which reviews major federal projects in the Washington area. She was frustrated that the Justice Department (DOJ) had not told her ¹.

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A sharp exchange in court

The hearing was the latest clash between Reyes and DOJ. Government lawyers repeatedly objected to her questions and pushed back on any suggestion that information was wrongly withheld ¹.

Reyes began by reminding Stanley Woodward, DOJ's No. 3 official, of the ethics rules that bind lawyers who appear before the court. Woodward said, "We're not on TV. I'm not a pundit." He also suggested some of her questions were blocked by executive privilege ¹.

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How the fight got here

A preservationist group and local golfers sued to stop major changes at East Potomac Park. Trump has said he wants a championship-style course, and he has said the site will close starting Nov. 15 ¹. NPR reported that the suit was filed in February against the Interior Department and the National Park Service ².

In May, the judge ordered notice before substantial construction, including removal of more than 10 trees. On Oct. 9, the government told the court it planned to remove "up to 529 trees." Bulldozers began the next day ².

Government attorneys had told the court the project was still conceptual. A DOJ filing said "the plan is not final because the Park Service has not completed its review" ². Trump posted that the plans were final ².

At an Oct. 19 hearing, Reyes asked, "Do I believe the president of the United States or do I believe you?" ². The Hill reported that she suggested DOJ was telling her something different from the president and told lawyers not to believe him ¹.

What happens next

For now, Reyes has restricted more tree-clearing and set new notice requirements. She has not yet blocked the planned closure ¹. The inquiry could look at whether agency officials and lawyers broke ethics rules ¹.

Allegations of misrepresentation are not findings. The inquiry has only begun, and DOJ has disputed the suggestion that it withheld information ¹. The White House also asked Reyes to step aside for alleged bias, and she declined ².

That matters because courts rely on lawyers for the government to be candid. When a judge opens an inquiry into whether they were, the question is no longer only about a golf course. It is about whether the government's word in court can be taken at face value.

The Record

1. Oct 9, 2026Government told the court it planned to remove up to 529 trees at East Potomac; bulldozers began the next day ².
2. Oct 19, 2026Reyes asked at a hearing whether to believe the president or DOJ's lawyers ².
3. Oct 30, 2026Reyes opened a formal inquiry into possible misrepresentations by agency officials and DOJ attorneys ¹.

Sources

1. The Hill, “Judge opens East Potomac Park probe into potential DOJ misconduct” (2026-10-30). thehill.com/regulation/court-battles/6184378-ana-reyes-inves
2. NPR (via KUOW), “Judge chastises Trump administration plan to push ahead with overhaul of DC golf course” (2026-10-19). kuow.org/npr-news/2026-10-19/judge-chastises-trump-administr

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