President Donald Trump posted dozens of images on Saturday of Washington, D.C.’s East Potomac Park and Golf Links, an area he has dubbed “Trash Island,” amid a legal battle to close the park and redevelop the golf course.
“Trash Island is currently the Worst Golf Course anywhere in the World, but the Department of the Interior is going to make it into the Best Golf Course anywhere in the World,” Trump wrote on Truth Social in a post topping 300 words.
The images Trump posted showed flooding, damaged fences and various debris. In all, the president shared 44 photos, though some were the same photos posted twice.
On Friday, U.S. District Judge Ana C. Reyes expressed skepticism over the administration’s motives for its plans to close the park and golf course, after preservation groups filed an emergency request to block the closure. The park is slated to close Sunday, pending a ruling from Reyes, who Trump previously called a “crazed lunatic” and suggested “may be insane?”
The administration has argued the closure needs to happen due to safety concerns, and because the trust that operates the golf course will not be operating it anymore. The trust’s lease for the golf course was terminated by Trump’s Department of the Interior.
Federal officials have insisted that they are not closing the park because of designs on overhauling the golf course and turning it into, as he has put it, a “world class” facility.
Last month, Reyes temporarily blocked the administration from cutting down more trees at the site after it felled hundreds — something officials also said was unrelated to Trump’s renovation plans.
Nevertheless, Trump in his Saturday post accused Reyes of not wanting his administration to “quickly and inexpensively fix up” the golf course. He added that he believed she would ultimately come around and rule in his favor.
“Trash Island, after years of laughter and scorn, will evolve into something very special, something which the Judge will be able to take great pride in seeing!” he wrote.