Judge freezes tree cuts at East Potomac citing conflicting posts

More than 400 trees were felled at the East Potomac Golf Links during the Columbus Day holiday weekend, a move that triggered a legal dispute now paused by a federal court order. On Monday, U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes issued a longer-term injunction that prevents the Trump administration from removing or damaging additional trees on the property.

The order mandates that the administration provide written notice 10 business days before making any irreparable modification to the features of East Potomac Park. Reyes included screenshots of social media posts from President Donald Trump in her ruling, noting that they contradicted sworn testimony from government employees. She wrote that the case had evolved beyond a simple golf dispute, forcing the court to reconcile the president's public claims with the positions of senior Department of Justice attorneys.

In a post dated October 18, Trump stated that Interior Secretary Doug Burgum and an architect had developed a plan for a World Class Championship Golf Course, with work scheduled to begin on November 15. Justice Department lawyers had previously told the court that no renovation plan existed. A follow-up post on October 19 changed the start date to immediately and claimed workers did not need construction approval. Reyes described the president as a crazed lunatic in that same post, a description she quoted in her order.

Reyes observed that the Department of Justice rarely urges a federal court not to believe the sitting president, yet that was the situation presented in this case. During a seven-hour hearing earlier this month, she indicated that extending the pause on tree demolition was likely necessary. She had already determined that the government acted in bad faith when it cut down the trees abruptly over the holiday weekend.

Skye Perryman, president and CEO of Democracy Forward, which represents the plaintiffs, called the decision a major win. She stated that the court rightly protected the park from further irreparable harm. Perryman added that the group is grateful for the intervention to stop what she described as the association's greed and lawlessness while the legal case continues.

The judge referenced an earlier line from the proceedings, noting that the court does not speak for the trees but only for the rule of law. The order remains in effect as the legal challenge moves forward, with the next steps determined by the ongoing litigation.

The conflict centers on the physical changes to the park and the public statements made about the project's scope. The administration must now adhere to the notice requirement before proceeding with any further modifications to the site's forms or features.