WASHINGTON, Nov 15 — A US federal judge yesterday ruled a park in the heart of Washington must remain open to the public, after President Donald Trump’s administration sought to close it for a planned renovation of a golf course.

An avid golfer who owns courses around the world, Trump aims to turn Washington’s East Potomac Golf Links, a public course with affordable rates, into a facility capable of hosting major championship-calibre events.

To that end, the Trump administration called for the November 15 closure of East Potomac Park, a 395-acre park where the golf course is located, to begin construction.

But a lawsuit filed by an environmental group against the project blocked the closure, with US District Judge Ana Reyes granting a temporary restraining order that required the park remain open for now as the lawsuit works its way through the courts.

“The Government proposes to close a historic park, daily enjoyed by Washingtonians of all stripes, indefinitely,” Reyes wrote in the 30-page ruling. “This closure would irreparably harm Plaintiffs, who use the Park regularly for recreational activities.”

She had previously ruled against the early demolition work conducted for the project, including the cutting down of more than 500 trees along the course.

Trump rebuked that ruling and insisted his legal team would appeal the decision.

“The judge has absolutely no right to hold up this very important and beautiful Project,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

The golf course is one of several projects launched by Trump in a bid to put his personal stamp on the US capital, such as the White House ballroom and a massive triumphal arch, despite fierce local opposition and multiple legal challenges. — AFP