Judge Orders 10-Day Notice Before Further Changes to D.C. Golf Course

A federal judge in Washington extended an injunction on Monday that prevents the Trump administration from removing or damaging additional trees at East Potomac Golf Links. The new order requires the administration to provide written notice 10 business days before making any irreparable modifications to the park's features while the lawsuit proceeds.

U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes issued the ruling after a seven-hour hearing earlier this month. She stated she believed the extension was necessary because the government had acted in bad faith. The administration abruptly chopped down more than 400 trees over the Columbus Day holiday weekend, an action Reyes had previously scrutinized.

Reyes cited President Donald Trump's social media posts in her written order, noting that they contradicted sworn testimony from government employees. In a post dated Oct. 18, Trump claimed that Interior Secretary Doug Burgum and an architect had developed a plan to build a world-class championship golf course starting Nov. 15. Justice Department lawyers had previously told the court no such renovation plan existed.

The following day, Trump posted that construction would begin immediately and that workers did not need approval. The post also described Reyes as a crazed lunatic. Reyes noted the unusual situation where the Department of Justice urged a federal court not to believe the sitting president. She wrote, Rarely, if ever, has the United States Department of Justice urged a federal court not to believe the sitting President. And yet, here we are.

Skye Perryman, president and CEO of Democracy Forward, represented the plaintiffs in the case. She praised the ruling in a statement, calling it a big win that will protect East Potomac Park from further irreparable harm. Perryman said the group was grateful the court intervened to stop what she called the Trump-Vance association's greed and lawlessness.

The case began as a dispute over the golf course but has evolved into a legal battle over conflicting government assertions. Reyes wrote that the court now must reconcile the president's statements with the testimony of multiple government employees and the arguments of senior Department of Justice attorneys. She emphasized that the court speaks only for the rule of law, not for the trees.

The administration must now adhere to the 10-business-day notice requirement for any future changes. The court will continue to hear arguments as the case moves forward. The order takes effect immediately, pausing any new demolition or construction work until the notice period is satisfied.