Judge halts tree-cutting at Washington’s East Potomac golf course until October 26

A federal judge ordered the Trump administration to stop cutting trees at East Potomac golf course until October 26. The order follows a contentious hearing over holiday-weekend work and requires advance notice before irreversible changes to the course.

• theguardian.comJudge orders Trump administration to halt work on historic DC golf course
• npr.orgA judge blocks the government's tree-clearing spree at a municipal D.C. golf course

Tree-cutting paused

US District Judge Ana Reyes on Tuesday ordered a halt to tree-cutting at Washington’s East Potomac golf course until October 26, extending a pause on work connected to President Donald Trump’s redevelopment plans. The Guardian

During that period, the government must give the court and plaintiffs three business days’ written notice before making any irreversible modification to a permanent feature of the course. The Guardian

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Dispute over weekend work

The order followed a tense three-hour hearing on Monday, during which Reyes sharply criticized the government, saying it had deceived her about its actions over the holiday weekend. NPR reported that the government had cleared hundreds of trees on short notice. The Guardian+1

Reyes initially imposed a 24-hour pause while the government sought a key administration official to explain why extensive tree-cutting needed to take place over the holiday weekend with little notification to the judge or plaintiffs challenging the renovation plans. The Guardian

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Concerns about redevelopment

Trump wants to turn the municipal course into a world-class golf venue. Local residents and preservationists have opposed the redevelopment plan. The Guardian+1

Some residents fear an upscale course would bring higher fees and reduce public space, changing the character of a place that has served Washingtonians across income levels for more than a century. The Guardian

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