Judge Rebukes Trump Administration After Secretive Tree Cuts at D.C. Golf Course
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U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes condemned the Trump administration for tearing out more than 400 trees at East Potomac Golf Links with almost no warning, and issued a temporary restraining order to stop any further removals.
U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes sharply condemned the Trump administration after it removed more than 400 trees from the public East Potomac Golf Links in Washington, D.C., without the advance notice she said had been promised. Reyes said Justice Department lawyers had assured her the government would give ample warning before any “irreversible” steps, yet the work started early on a holiday weekend, fueling concerns that the administration had acted in bad faith.
“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 badly damaged the government’s credibility.
The administration’s attorney, Marissa Piropato, claimed the court was notified in a filing shortly before 5 p.m. on Friday, the start of the three-day holiday, and that tree removal began the next morning. Reyes rejected that explanation, saying, “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 called two National Park Service officials to testify about the fast-moving execution of the plan, which officials said had been developed within the previous week. Deputy Director for Operations Frank Lands acknowledged the speed and said he was proud of how quickly the operation moved.
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, underscoring how extensive the plan remained.
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 pushing ahead without proper procedural compliance, pointing to the abrupt demolition of the White House’s East Wing as a warning sign of how the government was operating.
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 said the tree removal was part of implementing a 2019 Cultural Landscape Report meant to restore the course to its original design, but the plaintiffs rejected that explanation as a pretext for a much larger redevelopment scheme.
Reyes, a Biden-appointed judge, emphasized that she did not see herself as a park guardian, but said she felt forced to act because the government had misled the court. White House adviser Stephen Miller responded on X by suggesting the judge should stay out of the matter.