A legal fight over a public golf course in the nation’s capital has turned into a clash over the judge hearing the case.
U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes on Sunday, Oct. 18, 2026, rejected the Trump administration’s request to remove her from a lawsuit challenging its plans to overhaul East Potomac Golf Links in Washington.
Why did Ana Reyes refuse to step aside?
She said the government failed to meet the legal standard for removal. That standard requires showing a judge has displayed favoritism toward one side or a clear disregard for how the government operates.
In her written order, which runs 13 pages, Ana Reyes said it is easy to use selective quotations to build a baseless request for recusal but much harder to meet the demanding legal standard when the full record is considered.
Judged objectively, she concluded, the government’s argument falls short.
What did the administration accuse Ana Reyes of?
Government lawyers argued that recent developments showed she could not be impartial. They filed the motion after recent hearings in the case.
They claimed she unfairly questioned the intelligence of administration attorneys, allowed disdain for the administration to shape hearings and ignored principles of separation of powers and the limits the Constitution places on judges.
Requests to remove a judge are rarely granted. Judges must step aside when their impartiality might reasonably be questioned, but disagreements over rulings or courtroom tone are generally not enough. Federal law sets out when judges must disqualify themselves, including when they have a personal bias or a financial interest in a case. The Supreme Court has said that critical or even hostile remarks during proceedings usually do not show bias unless they reveal deep favoritism or antagonism.
What is the golf course case about?
The lawsuit challenges the administration’s efforts to update East Potomac Golf Links, a public course on National Park Service land along the Potomac River. The course sits near the Jefferson Memorial on a peninsula known as Hains Point. It has operated for roughly a century and is open to the public.
Hours before the ruling, President Donald Trump announced that the government plans to redevelop the course so it can host major tournaments. He said the course will close Nov. 15 for the redesign. Trump owns several golf properties and has hosted professional events at his courses.
The full details of the plaintiffs’ claims and the scope of the redesign were not immediately clear.
Who is Ana Reyes?
Ana Reyes has served as a federal judge in Washington since 2023. She was nominated by President Joe Biden.
She has presided over other prominent cases involving the administration, including a challenge to its policy barring transgender people from military service.
The administration and its allies have increasingly criticized judges who rule against its policies, while legal experts warn that attacks on judges can undermine public trust in the courts. Some officials have called for impeaching judges who block administration policies.
What happens next in the case before Ana Reyes?
The case will continue with Reyes presiding. The administration could ask a higher court to order her removal, though such requests face a steep climb. Appeals courts rarely remove a judge from a case midstream.
The timing matters. With the course set to close Nov. 15, the court may need to act quickly on any requests to pause the project. Any ruling that delays the redesign could affect plans to prepare the course for future tournaments.
For now, Ana Reyes remains in charge of a case that blends politics, public land and the president’s longtime love of golf.
