US court blocked Trump from redeveloping a golf course in Washington
Kyiv • UNN
Judge Ana Reyes barred the Trump administration from cutting down trees and closing East Potomac without giving the court 10 days’ advance notice.
On the evening of October 26, a federal judge in the United States temporarily barred the Trump administration from cutting down additional trees or closing the public East Potomac Golf Course, which the U.S. president intends to upgrade to championship standards. UNN reports this, citing Politico.
Details
In her lengthy and sharply worded ruling, Judge Ana Reyes found that the U.S. president’s public statements contradicted the administration’s claims in court that the removal of more than 400 trees earlier this month was routine maintenance, rather than preparation for the president’s grand vision for the East Potomac Golf Course.
"Rarely, if ever, has the U.S. Department of Justice urged a federal court not to believe the sitting president," she wrote. "And yet, here we are."
What preceded this
A conservation group and two local residents asked the court to ban further tree removal after the U.S. Department of the Interior cut down more than 400 trees within a short period earlier this month.
Earlier this month, Reyes criticized the administration for cutting down the trees and expressed skepticism toward the government’s arguments in court that it was part of a longstanding plan to clear the historic golf course.
Following a tense hearing, the administration asked the judge—who was appointed by the Biden administration—to recuse herself from the case, citing bias. She rejected the request.
Trump has commented on the case several times, including announcing on social media that the golf course would close on November 15 for a 15-month renovation.
Which golf course is at issue
East Potomac Golf Course is the most prominent of the three public courses owned by the U.S. National Park Service (NPS) in Washington. Last year, Trump seized them, accusing the nonprofit National Links Trust of failing to pay rent, even though the NPS had allowed the nonprofit to offset the rent by investing in golf-course repairs.
The 106-year-old golf course, owned by the National Park Service, is part of Trump’s broader efforts to leave an architectural mark on the nation’s capital, alongside a new White House ballroom and a proposed triumphal arch.
But those efforts have been slowed by fierce lawsuits examining the limits of presidential power.
What’s next
On Monday, Reyes said the government must notify the court 10 days before closing the course or making "irreversible changes".