Angry Judge Orders Trump Administration to Stop Tree Cutting at Historic Golf Course After Hundreds Are Removed
Hundreds of trees were cut down at a historic Washington, D.C., golf course over the holiday weekend. Now a federal judge has ordered the Trump administration to stop removing any more.
U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes extended a temporary halt on tree removal at East Potomac Golf Links through Oct. 26 on Tuesday, Oct. 13, following a contentious, nearly four-hour hearing the previous day.
The order comes after at least 430 trees were cut down on Saturday, Oct. 10, during work the National Park Service (NPS) described as historic landscape restoration. Preservation advocates challenged the removal in an emergency court filing, arguing that the government had not completed the necessary environmental and historic preservation reviews.
Tree Removal Plans Spark Emergency Legal Challenge
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The controversy centers on a public golf course that President Donald Trump wants to redevelop into a venue capable of hosting major tournaments.
Back in February, the D.C. Preservation League and two local golfers filed a federal lawsuit challenging the proposed redevelopment and alleging violations of environmental and historic preservation laws.
In a sworn declaration filed on Oct. 9, National Park Service Superintendent Kevin Griess described plans to remove up to 529 trees to restore the course’s original, more open design. He maintained that the work was separate from any future renovation and intended to address years of deferred maintenance.
On Friday, Oct. 9, government attorneys also notified the court that tree removal would begin the following morning. The notice arrived at approximately 4:55 p.m., according to Democracy Forward, which represents the plaintiffs.
Tree cutting began Saturday, Oct. 10. The following day, the plaintiffs filed an emergency motion seeking to halt further removal, arguing that the work was proceeding without the required reviews.
Judge Orders Tree Removal to Stop
Reyes issued a temporary order stopping further cutting on Monday, Oct. 12, before holding an emergency hearing to question government officials about the operation.
During the emergency hearing, a Justice Department attorney acknowledged that 430 trees had been removed, according to CBS News. The plaintiffs, meanwhile, alleged in their emergency filing that all 529 trees identified for removal had already been cut.
Reyes sharply criticized the government’s handling of the notice. “You did not do your best,” she told Justice Department attorneys, as reported by CBS News. “You did your absolute worst.”
According to CBS News, the Oct. 13 order also requires government officials to provide three business days’ written notice before “making any irreparable modification to any permanent form or feature” of the golf course.
