On Friday, October 30, 2026, U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes opened an investigation into whether Justice Department (DOJ) lawyers misled the court regarding renovation plans for a historic golf course in Washington, D.C. The judge stated she would appoint a special master to determine if officials withheld or misrepresented information. While government attorneys previously told the court that no final renovation plan existed, President Trump stated the course would close in November for a 15-month project.
Earlier in the week, the judge barred the administration from proceeding with work on the course without prior notice. Norman Eisen of the Democracy Defenders Fund, representing those seeking to stop the renovations, stated that evidence in the record indicates a final plan is already in place. The administration has appealed the judge's earlier ruling.
In a separate matter on Friday, the DOJ informed a judge that it may file additional charges against former FBI Director James Comey. Prosecutors are currently pursuing a third criminal case against Comey, alleging he leaked information to the news media in 2016. Comey’s legal team argued that the 10-year statute of limitations for such charges has expired, while Comey maintained his innocence. The judge delayed a decision on dismissing the current case pending further action by the DOJ.
The potential for new charges against James Comey affects the former FBI director and raises questions regarding the application of statutes of limitations on allegations of media leaks from 2016. A new indictment would mark the third criminal case brought against him by the Trump administration.
What happens next depends on the findings of the special master regarding the golf course representations and the DOJ’s decision on further charges for Comey. While the administration has appealed the order requiring notice before golf course work, the president’s stated timeline suggests a closure could begin next month. In the Comey case, the court is waiting for prosecutors to finalize their next steps before ruling on a motion to dismiss. No specific dates for the special master’s report or the DOJ’s charging decision were reported.