Trump says he'll hold judge 'fully responsible' for D.C. golf course injuries and deaths

President Donald Trump said late Wednesday he will hold U.S. District Judge Ana C. Reyes "fully responsible for anybody who is hurt, or killed" at East Potomac Golf Links in Washington — escalating a fight over the course’s fate that began when he announced out of the blue on social media that the surrounding park would be closed to accommodate construction beginning Nov. 15.

In a Truth Social post, Trump called the course "highly dangerous, dilapidated, and absolutely disgusting" and said the driving range "should be closed immediately for safety reasons!" He also posted a slew of photos displaying dead grass and crumbling infrastructure at the course.

“The gaping holes in the driving range’s ‘protective’ netting are highly hazardous,” he wrote. “Golf balls soar through the holes at high speed and hit unexpecting Golfers—including a White House staffer who was, sadly, hit violently in the chest.”

Trump’s Truth Social post also said the range should offer "stunning views of the Washington Monument, not of a barren, debris-ridden wasteland." It did not mention that the Trump administration placed nearly 30,000 cubic yards of dirt and rubble from the White House East Wing demolition on the golf complex.

Reyes has become a recurring target of Trump’s over orders that have temporarily limited parts of his plan to renovate the course, including further tree removal. These orders, however, have stemmed from confusion caused by Trump’s own social media posts.

In a Wednesday court filing, the Justice Department said the National Park Service would close East Potomac Park — the site of the course — south of Buckeye Drive on Nov. 15 under Trump’s directive. The department cited "significant safety hazards at East Potomac Park," including a failing seawall, and said the area south of Buckeye Drive would close regardless of any renovation plans.

The area south of Buckeye Drive includes nearly all of Hains Point, a popular D.C. recreation destination, with a running loop and bike and pedestrian paths. In February, two golfers sued the government to block renovations to the course.

But before Wednesday, representatives for the administration had insisted there was no plan in place to close the course for construction, directly contradicting statements by the president on social media. On Oct. 19, Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward had told Reyes "there is no plan to close the course."

That discrepancy prompted Reyes to repeatedly seek clarity from the government on its intentions for the area.

"Rarely, if ever, has the United States Department of Justice urged a federal court not to believe the sitting President," Reyes wrote on Monday.

Wednesday’s filing finally brings the government’s representatives into alignment with the president’s social media posts.

On Oct. 26, Reyes issued a preliminary injunction, barring the government from cutting more trees unless needed to protect public safety. Safety cuts require detailed notice to the court. The order also requires 10 days' notice before closing the course or making irreversible changes.

Trump previously posted a similar slew of images of the course on Oct. 20.