Image by 👀 Mabel Amber, who will one day from Pixabay
November 15, 2026 - Washington D.C. – A federal court has sided with the DC Preservation League and two local residents, ordering the Trump-Vance administration to not proceed with its planned closure of East Potomac park as part of the government’s effort to destroy a priceless piece of American history as it seeks to convert a public recreation space into an exclusive, high-end golf course as part of Trump’s ongoing effort to transform Washington, D.C. through his various vanity projects. Democracy Forward, Lowell & Associates, and Democracy Defenders Fund represent the plaintiffs.
The temporary restraining order (TRO) comes in DC Preservation League v. Department of the Interior, a case filed on February 13, 2026 that asks a court to stop the National Park Service’s plan to destroy community jewel East Potomac Park and its historic municipal golf course and build in its place an exclusive golf course designed for professional tournaments and private events for the president and wealthy golfers. Saturday’s order will stop the government from closing the park to the community it serves without conducting the proper public decision-making process.
“We are grateful that the court has stopped the government from unlawfully closing East Potomac Park and depriving people of this priceless piece of American history and wonderful recreation space. Our laws prevent this administration from acting without a fair and public process, and today’s order will stop the government from ignoring those laws. We are eager to continue to argue this case in court,” the coalition said in a joint statement.
The legal team at Democracy Forward working on the case includes Will Bardwell, Mark Samburg, Kevin Friedl, Anna Deffebach, Catherine Carroll, and Robin Thurston. The team with Lowell & Associates includes Abbe David Lowell, Caleb Hayes-Deats, Angela Reilly, and Jack Bolen. The team with Democracy Defenders Fund includes Amb. Norm Eisen (ret.) and Lindsay Zimliki.
Read the restraining order here.
Democracy Forward Foundation is a national legal organization that advances democracy and social progress through litigation, policy, public education, and regulatory engagement. For more information, please visit www.democracyforward.org.
Source: Democracy Forward Foundation
