EXCLUSIVE: Trump DOJ Fights Judge's Push to Investigate Alleged Ethics Violations — as Former Federal Prosecutor Emerges in Court Showdown
Trump's Justice Department is fighting a proposed ethics investigation tied to the president's controversial golf course redevelopment.
Nov. 13 2026, Updated 6:18 p.m. ET
President Donald Trump's Department of Justice is pushing back against a federal judge's proposed investigation into alleged attorney ethics violations in a legal battle involving the administration, while opposing the appointment of a former Trump-era federal prosecutor to oversee the inquiry, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
According to court documents obtained by Radar, government attorneys filed a six-page response on November 13, arguing there is no reasonable basis for an ethics investigation involving lawyers representing the Department of Justice and the Department of the Interior.
The legal showdown stems from Trump's controversial plans to redevelop Washington, D.C.'s historic East Potomac Golf Course. Judge Ana Reyes previously questioned conflicting statements about the project's closure timeline and the removal of hundreds of trees, raising concerns about whether government attorneys had accurately represented developments to the court.
DOJ Fights Ethics Probe
Government lawyers insist there is no basis for an ethics investigation.
In the latest filing, government attorneys argued that the proposed investigation lacks justification and should not move forward.
"There is no reasonable basis for conducting an ethics inquiry in this case," the filing states. Government lawyers also made clear they would not consent to Liu's appointment or the selection of any other special master.
The DOJ maintained that federal procedural rules permit such appointments over a party's objection only under narrowly defined circumstances.
According to the government, none of those circumstances applies to the current dispute.
Former Prosecutor Drawn In
Trump's proposed redevelopment of Washington, D.C.'s historic East Potomac Golf Course has sparked a federal court battle.
Liu's potential appointment has emerged as a significant point of contention in the proceedings. The former U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia served during Trump's first administration.
Her proposed role would involve examining potential ethical misconduct by government attorneys rather than deciding the underlying claims in the lawsuit.
However, the DOJ argues that the court cannot delegate the proposed inquiry to an outside investigator under the circumstances presented.
DOJ Warns of Delays
Government attorneys argue an outside investigator could delay proceedings.
The Justice Department also cited longstanding internal policy discouraging special-master appointments except in limited situations.
Attorneys argued that appointing an outside investigator could create additional expenses and delay the resolution of the ethics dispute.
The filing contends that any findings by a special master would require substantial judicial review.
Government lawyers further argued that the proposed ethics investigation does not qualify as a trial proceeding or exceptional circumstance justifying an appointment without consent.
Judge Could Take Over
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Judge Ana Reyes has indicated she is prepared to conduct the inquiry herself.
Despite rejecting the proposed appointment, the DOJ acknowledged that the judge has indicated a willingness to conduct the inquiry personally. "The Court is fully prepared to conduct this inquiry itself," the government quoted the judge as saying during an October 30 hearing.
That possibility leaves the dispute unresolved, even if the proposed appointment is rejected.
The filing was submitted by senior Justice Department officials, including Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward Jr., alongside attorneys representing the federal defendants.
For now, the government is urging the court to abandon the ethics inquiry entirely, setting up a confrontation over whether allegations involving federal attorneys warrant further judicial scrutiny.
