Judge Criticizes Trump Administration Over Unannounced Tree Removal at D.C. Golf Course
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U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes rebuked the Trump administration for cutting down more than 400 trees at East Potomac Golf Links without adequate notice, issuing a temporary restraining order on further removals.
U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes sharply criticized the Trump administration after it removed over 400 trees from the public East Potomac Golf Links in Washington, D.C., without the advance notice she had been promised. Reyes said lawyers for the Justice Department had assured her that the government would provide ample warning before any "irreversible" actions, but the work began early on a holiday weekend.
"I’m furious," Reyes told Justice Department attorneys. "I trusted you all not to do precisely what you have done," she added, calling the conduct "inexcusable" and saying it had damaged the government's credibility.
The administration’s attorney, Marissa Piropato, said the court was notified in a filing shortly before 5 p.m. on Friday, the start of the three-day holiday, and that the tree removal began the next morning. Reyes rejected the explanation, stating, "You did not do your best. You did your absolute worst."
Reyes issued an order early Monday temporarily barring any further tree removal until at least Tuesday and convened an emergency hearing despite a federal court holiday. She summoned two National Park Service officials to testify about the rapid execution of the plan, which officials said was developed within the previous week. Deputy Director for Operations Frank Lands acknowledged the speed and expressed pride in the swift action.
The judge also ordered Deputy Chief of Staff to Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, Greg Wischer, to appear for testimony, noting that the administration had been unable to locate him immediately. Superintendent Kevin Griess testified that about 300 additional trees were slated for removal.
The plaintiffs, represented by the D.C. Preservation League, had sued earlier this year after reports that President Donald Trump intended to convert the century-old course into a championship-style facility. They argued the administration was proceeding without proper procedural compliance, citing the abrupt demolition of the White House’s East Wing as a precedent.
Trump confirmed his renovation plans in a June post on Truth Social, describing the existing course as "dilapidated, worn out, and very dangerous" and promising that work would begin on September 1.
The Justice Department later claimed the tree removal was part of implementing a 2019 Cultural Landscape Report aimed at restoring the course to its original design, a justification the plaintiffs rejected as a pretext for the larger redevelopment.
Reyes, a Biden-appointed judge, emphasized that she did not view herself as a park guardian but felt compelled to act because the government had misled the court. White House adviser Stephen Miller responded on X, suggesting the judge should stay out of the matter.