KABUL (Pajhwok): A US federal judge has temporarily blocked President Donald Trump’s plan to close and redevelop a historic public park and golf courses in Washington, ordering that the site remain accessible to the public.
US District Judge Ana Reyes issued a 30-page ruling on Saturday, preventing the administration from closing East Potomac Park, Reuters reported. The order will remain in effect until November 28 or until further court action.
In a social media post on October 18, Trump said the park would be closed for 15 months to transform its golf facilities into “one of the Best and Most Spectacular Golf Courses anywhere in the World”.
However, Reyes ruled that the administration’s stated reasons for closing the park were “pretextual” and that it had violated at least two federal laws “to meet an arbitrary deadline”.
“The government proposes to close a historic park, daily enjoyed by Washingtonians of all stripes, indefinitely,” Reyes wrote.
Under the ruling, the administration is not required to continue operating the golf courses but cannot use their closure as a reason to deny public access to the park.
The decision followed a lawsuit filed by a Washington-based historic preservation organisation and two local golfers, who challenged the redevelopment plan over alleged violations of federal laws and regulations.
Reyes had previously barred the administration from cutting down more trees or making irreversible changes to the park without court approval.
East Potomac Park, located near the Thomas Jefferson Memorial and about three kilometres from the White House, has three golf courses with a combined 36 holes, a miniature golf course, and cycling and walking paths.
Under Trump’s plan, the facilities would be transformed into an 18-hole championship-level course capable of hosting major tournaments, including the US Open and the Ryder Cup.
The project is part of Trump’s broader plans to reshape Washington’s architecture and urban landscape.
The US departments of the Interior and Justice, as well as the White House, had not commented on the latest ruling at the time of reporting.
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