WASHINGTON, D.C. – A federal judge said she was “furious” that the Trump administration cut down hundreds of trees at a public golf course in Washington, DC, despite ongoing litigation aimed at preventing the destruction.
Dozens of National Park Service workers cut down 430 trees at East Potomac Golf Links on Oct. 10. The government plans to cut down about 300 more trees. The government alerted litigants, who were trying to prevent the tree removal, about the plans on Oct. 9 at 4:55 p.m. before the heavy equipment began operating the next morning.
"More than being upset and furious right now, I am just deeply disappointed in the government," U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes told government lawyers during an emergency hearing Oct. 12. "On what universe
did anyone in your office think this was acceptable?"
'We did our best,' government lawyer says. But judge calls it 'absolute worst'
Justice Department lawyer Marissa Piropato told Reyes that government attorneys had done their best to gather details on tree removal so they could share them in a court filing.
“We did our best,” Piropato said.
But Reyes said there was no urgency to the tree removal and lawyers should have alerted litigants days earlier, to have a chance to block the project.
"You did not do your best," Reyes said. "You did your absolute worst."
She temporarily blocked further removal of trees until 2 p.m. Oct. 13. She is eager to hear from Greg Wischer, deputy chief of staff at the Department of the Interior, about how plans for the tree removal came together in a week after seven years of inaction.
Renovating the golf course is part of President Donald Trump's overhaul of the capital with a number of projects.
The projects include a granite helipad at the White House, a controversial ballroom under construction at the White House, an overhaul of the Reflecting Pool near the Lincoln Memorial, a proposed triumphal arch near Arlington National Cemetery and long-discussed relocation of the FBI headquarters along Pennsylvania Avenue.
Trump has argued 'trees were badly damaged'
Government officials testified at the emergency hearing with Reyes that the tree-removal plan was finalized Oct. 5, passed through environmental and legal reviews during the week and was approved on Oct. 9.
The brisk approval stemmed from a 2019 study that sought to return the heavily wooded course to a links-style course with few trees and wider views of the Potomac River. The course was designed and built as a links course in the 1920s but trees had become overgrown with trees and invasive species since then.
“I was dismayed at the condition of the course,” said Kevin Griess, superintendent of 1,000 acres of parks around the National Mall including the golf course.
Frank Lands, deputy director for operations of the National Park Service, testified by phone from his car that the project was part of Trump’s March 2025 executive order to make DC safer and more beautiful.
The administration began cutting down dead and dying trees in May. Lands said he was directed to get tree-cutting project done “as soon as practical” while complying with environmental statutes and without interfering with golfers.
Trump posted on social media in June that his renovation plans for the golf course would enable it to hold major golf events, like his private courses.
“Many of the trees are badly damaged from years of neglect, putting people in great danger from falling branches, and the trees falling themselves,” said Trump, who visited his private Trump National Golf Club in Sterling, Virginia, during the hearing.
But litigants including the DC Preservation League and golfers Dave Roberts and Alex Dickson fought the changes for the public course, which is popular as an affordable place to golf with views of the Capitol.
Judge calls argument that tree-chopping wasn't part of broader renovation 'preposterous'
The tree removal came four days after Jessica Bowron, acting director of the National Park Service, submitted a declaration in the lawsuit saying renovations of the golf course “remain in a conceptual stage.”
“NPS has postponed initial consulting parties’ meetings pending further internal coordination,” Bowron said. “In postponing these meetings, the NPS has explained that it has no intent to commence significant rehabilitation work until all applicable compliance requirements have been satisfied.”
Piropato, the government lawyer, argued that the tree-cutting wasn’t part of a larger renovation project.
“This is a tree management plan,” Pirapato said. “This is not a renovation.”
Reyes, the judge, said she was “unamused.” She said the park service understood there was “zero ambiguity” about her opposition to cutting down trees until the lawsuit was resolved. She called the argument “preposterous” that a tree-chopping that hadn’t had action in seven years was suddenly implemented in a week.
“What I find most frustrating about this, counsel, is that this is all double-speak,” Reyes said.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Here's what a 'furious' judge said about Trump administration cutting down 500 trees at D.C. course
