Trump officials cut down 430 trees in East Potomac Park over the weekend. Then the judge looks at their lawyers: ‘I am beyond disappointed’

A federal judge issued a stern rebuke to government lawyers on Monday after the removal of 430 trees in East Potomac Park occurred over the weekend without proper notification, The Hill reports. U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes expressed her frustration during an emergency hearing, declaring that the government had lost all of its credibility in the ongoing legal battle. She told the lawyers representing the government that she was “beyond disappointed” with their conduct regarding the project.

This situation stems from a lawsuit filed by the DC Preservation League and two individuals who are working to stop an overhaul of the public golf courses located on the property. President Trump has stated that he wants these courses converted into a championship-caliber facility capable of hosting professional tournaments.

East Potomac Park currently serves as a hub for the community, offering an affordable 18-hole public golf course alongside space for running, biking, and picnicking. The site has been managed for several years by the National Links Trust, which also oversees properties at Rock Creek Park and Langston.

Workers removed approximately 430 trees on Saturday

Trump officials described the removal of the trees as a necessary step to restore the course to its historic design. This restoration effort follows a 2019 report and aligns with an executive order from President Trump to beautify the nation’s capital.

Kevin Griess, the Superintendent for National Mall and Memorial Parks in the National Park Service, testified that the plan is about returning the area to its original state as a links golf course rather than just safety concerns. Despite this explanation, Judge Reyes and lawyer Abbe Lowell, who represents the preservation group, questioned why the National Park Service felt such a rush to remove the trees if the management plan had been finalized seven years ago.

Frank Lands, the deputy director of operations for the National Park Service, maintained that there was no specific urgency and characterized the tree removal as the normal course of business. This perspective did little to soothe the judge, who had previously instructed Department of Justice lawyers in May to provide notice if they planned to remove more than 10 trees or perform significant maintenance at the site. The judge noted that the government provided notice of the weekend work only 12 hours before it began.

During the hearing, Department of Justice lawyer Marissa Piropato claimed that there was no conscious decision to withhold information from the court. She explained that the department was simply waiting for more details before submitting a formal filing. Judge Reyes dismissed this explanation immediately, stating that none of that is an excuse.

The judge has now barred the National Park Service from conducting any further work on the site until at least 2:00 PM EDT Tuesday. She intends to use this time to decide whether a longer block is necessary to protect the remaining trees.

Judge Reyes noted that there are potentially 200 to 300 more trees scheduled for removal and expressed a lack of faith that the government would hold off without an official order. She warned the lawyers that there would be serious consequences if her temporary order is violated.