Authored by Jackson Richman via The Epoch Times,
A federal judge issued a restraining order blocking further tree removal at a historic golf course the president plans to remake in Washington, after the Trump administration waited until nearly 5 p.m. on Friday to notify the court before removing hundreds of trees over the weekend.
In an emergency hearing on Oct. 12, Judge Ana C. Reyes of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia said she was "furious" at the Justice Department, which she said "lost all credibility" by not notifying her of the removal sooner. The order prevents further tree removal until Oct. 13 at 2 p.m. ET.
The hearing was part of an ongoing legal battle between the Trump administration, which seeks to renovate the East Potomac Golf Links course, and the D.C. Preservation League, which argues that President Donald Trump's planned changes violate the National Environmental Policy Act. That law requires federal agencies to assess the environmental effects of their proposed actions before making final decisions.
The plaintiffs - the league and golfers Alex Dickson and Dave Roberts - told the court that 529 trees were cut down at the public golf course on Oct. 10. The administration said it removed 430 trees.
Reyes specified in May that the administration should notify her if more than 10 trees were to be removed. The Justice Department notified the court on Oct. 9 at 4:55 p.m. ET, shortly before government offices closed for the holiday weekend.
Justice Department lawyer Marissa Piropato said the department was made aware on Oct. 8 that the tree cutting might happen but did not solidly learn about the plan until late on Oct. 8 or early Oct. 9.
Asked about the delay, Piropato said the Justice Department was getting details and wanted to make a filing. Reyes said it should have called the court.
When Piropato said the department did its best to inform the court and plaintiffs, Reyes responded, "You did not do your best; you did your absolute worst."
During the hearing, Reyes extended an initial temporary restraining order - which was to last until 7 a.m. ET on Oct. 13 - until 2 p.m. ET on Oct. 13. By that time, Reyes said, the order will either be extended or lifted.
She indicated that she would require the government to give advance notice of three business days before cutting down trees at the course.
Reyes threatened contempt proceedings if the Trump administration violates her temporary order.
The Epoch Times has reached out to the Department of the Interior and the National Park Service for comment on the order.
White House Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy Stephen Miller criticized Reyes for her reaction.
"I missed the part of the Constitutional Convention that put federal judges in charge of golf course maintenance. The Left is endlessly enraged that, after allowing DC to decay for decades, the Trump Administration is making it safe, clean and beautiful," he posted on X.
The plaintiffs on Oct. 11 requested a 14-day temporary halt of the maintenance at East Potomac Golf Links. They called removal of the trees "irreversible damage."
Without halting the cutting down of trees, the Trump administration "will further alter permanently the land, landscape, trees, setting, and other elements of the human environment in both visible and unseeable ways," the plaintiffs wrote.
Kevin Griess, superintendent of National Mall and Memorial Parks, testified that authorization for the tree chopping was sent on Oct. 6, three days before the plaintiffs and court were notified.
Griess acknowledged that conversations about tree removal began in late September. He also said that the tree removal is part of a 2019 plan, which precedes Trump's plans for the course.
According to the lawsuit, soil and debris from the White House East Wing demolition - including wires, pipes, bricks, and other materials - were dumped on portions of East Potomac Golf Links course without the required environmental review.
