Judge orders inquiry into Department of Justice conduct in golf course case

A federal judge opened a formal inquiry on Friday into potential misconduct by Justice Department attorneys handling the East Potomac Golf Course case. NPR Politics, BBC News, CBS News, and the Washington Post all reported that the court is investigating whether government lawyers deceived the judge about President Donald Trump's plans for the municipal facility. [1][2][3][9]

BBC News reported that the judge questioned administration lawyers about what they knew regarding plans to close the golf course next month. The inquiry is examining whether Justice Department lawyers misrepresented Donald Trump's renovation plans and if a last-minute notification about tree removal was delivered in bad faith. [2]

Donald Trump stated on social media that the East Potomac Golf Course would close in November for several months of work despite an ongoing legal challenge, according to BBC News. As FTMQ Politics reported earlier, the Justice Department confirmed the site is scheduled to close on Nov. 15, 2026, for a championship-level overhaul. [2][17]

The current investigation follows previous disputes over the property. As FTMQ Politics reported earlier, a prior court order prohibited future work on the site while a lawsuit proceeds, after hundreds of trees were previously cut down for the project. [16]