The administration had previously been permitted to proceed with renovations under the condition that the court be notified before removing more than 10 trees at a time. However, Justice Department attorneys acknowledged in court that approximately 430 trees were removed over the weekend, with another 300 marked for destruction. The court received notice of the plans at 4:55 pm on Friday, just ahead of a holiday weekend.
Judge Halts DC Golf Course Project After Mass Tree Removal
US District Judge Ana Reyes slammed the Trump administration on Monday for cutting down over 400 trees at Washington’s East Potomac Golf Links without proper notice. Labeling the unauthorized clearing "totally beyond the pale," the judge suspended all construction on the site until at least Tuesday afternoon to investigate the breach.
Judge Reyes accused the administration of losing all credibility, rejecting claims that officials were doing their best to keep the court informed. The destruction occurs despite the administration characterizing the renovation as a "potential project" in filings, with no finalized timelines or cost estimates provided. This incident follows recent reports from the congressional Joint Economic Committee, which estimated the taxpayer burden for President Trump’s various capital vanity projects has reached over $1.8 billion.
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