Judge Seeks Special Master To Probe Government Conduct In Trump Golf Case

A federal judge in Washington, D.C., said Saturday she intends to appoint former U.S. attorney Jessie Liu as a special master to investigate whether federal officials misled the court in a lawsuit over Donald Trump's planned overhaul of the East Potomac Golf Course.^[1]

Judge Ana Reyes of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia told lawyers she plans to tap Liu to probe the conduct of officials and attorneys from the Interior Department, the National Park Service and the Justice Department, focusing on whether they provided false or incomplete information or broke ethics rules during earlier hearings.^[1] She ordered both sides to file written positions on Liu's potential appointment by Friday, ahead of the next hearing in the case, which has already produced an injunction blocking tree removal and other irreversible work at the historic public course.^[1]

The dispute stems from a lawsuit filed in February 2026 by the DC Preservation League and two local golfers, who are challenging the Republican administration's decision to close the East Potomac Golf Course and adjacent park on November 15 to build a championship-level course along the Potomac River.^[1] The plaintiffs argue the project would damage a historically significant public landscape and habitat, and they contend federal agencies rushed approvals and downplayed environmental and preservation concerns.

Earlier in the litigation, Reyes issued an injunction barring further tree cutting or other actions that could cause irreparable harm while the case proceeds, a sign she saw at least some likelihood the challengers could succeed on the merits.^[1] Her new move to bring in an outside special master significantly raises the stakes, shifting some of the spotlight from the legality of the golf redevelopment to the integrity of the government's conduct in court.

Jessie Liu, who previously served as the U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia and has held senior roles in the Justice Department, would have authority to review records, examine witness statements and recommend potential remedies if she confirms that officials misled the court or violated ethical standards.^[1] Any findings could affect not only the future of the golf project but also expose individual lawyers or officials to sanctions and deepen scrutiny of how the Trump administration handled federal property and environmental reviews.

1. PBS News