Golfers play near cut trees after a federal judge ordered a temporary restraining order against the closure of East Potomac Golf Links, in Washington, DC, US, November 15, 2026. REUTERS/Eric Lee
President Donald Trump astonished his critics Sunday after he posted a meandering rant on social media about a judge who is blocking his attempt to renovate the East Potomac Golf Links in Washington, D.C.
"Biden appointed Judge Reyes has delayed, for yet another two weeks, the fix up and reconstruction, by the Department of the Interior, of one of the worst and most dangerous golf courses anywhere in the U.S.," Trump wrote on Truth Social. “'Trash Island,' as it is affectionately known, needs work, and needs it now! It is in a terrible state of disrepair, as anybody can see by just looking at the pictures that are now circulating all over the Country, and in the Court."
Trump's rant came on the heels of a nationwide ground stop that affected more than 1.5 million passengers. Trump administration officials have blamed the issue on a faulty router that was overwhelmed by a system upgrade, an excuse that some air traffic controllers have said they don't believe.
The rant also sparked a firestorm among the president's critics, with at least one calling on him to resign because of his misplaced priorities.
Grant Stern, managing editor of Occupy Democrats, posted on X that Trump's rant showed where his real priorities lie.
"Trump's incompetent toadies crashed America's civil aviation system two days ago, but all he can think about on a Sunday is golf. Why doesn't he just resign and go golfing as much as he wants?" Stern wrote.
Jessica Tarlov, a Fox News host, suggested that Trump seemed more concerned about how often people can play golf at the course instead of real issues Americans face.
"'Golf seasons will be lost.' The stakes could not be higher," Tarlov posted on X sarcastically.
Aaron Reichlin-Melnick, senior fellow at the American Immigration Council, disputed a central claim in Trump's tirade.
"Not that it’s the most important thing to correct here, but the President is 100% wrong when he claims East Potomac Park is called 'Trash Island' by anyone. According to court documents, that was an internal NPS nickname for a grove of trees in the park they cut down last month," he posted on X.
Michael McDonald, a political science professor at the University of Florida, floated a new theory about why Trump named the golf course "Trash Island."
"Trump calls it Trash Island because he dumped the rubble from the East Wing of the White House there," McDonald posted on Bluesky.