Judge extends tree-cutting block at East Potomac Park

A federal judge on Monday extended a tree-cutting block at East Potomac Park, where President Trump has claimed there will be a new golf course in the future

U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes granted a preliminary injunction for a preservationist group and golfers restricting the Trump administration from cutting trees at the park, stating in a Monday opinion that “the Court would much prefer not to have to resolve Lorax v. Once‑ler redux.”

“Indeed, for months, the Court declined to intervene. Before early October, Plaintiffs had asked for some form of relief about a dozen times. The Court denied each one. The Court acts now only because the Government did what it assured all it would not do,” Reyes added.

“Without meaningful notice to Plaintiffs or the Court, on October 10, it bulldozed hundreds of trees on the Course. It did so even though, as two [National Park Service] officials have testified, there was no urgency,” the judge continued.

Earlier this month, Reyes ordered the Trump administration to stop work on East Potomac Park, the site of East Potomac Golf Links.

The district judge’s order came days after hundreds of trees were cut down at the property. The cutting appeared to be a violation of a prior order requiring the Department of the Interior and National Park Service to give notice to the court and preservationist groups suing to stop the project before going ahead with any other work.

Reyes had ordered no extra tree cutting or landscaping before this upcoming Wednesday.

Skye Perryman, president and CEO of Democracy Forward, a group representing the preservationist group and golfers challenging the administration, said in a statement that Monday’s ruling was “a big win that will rightly protect East Potomac park from further irreparable harm.”

“We are grateful the court intervened to stop the Trump-Vance administration’s greed and lawlessness while the case continues, and we are eager to argue the case in court.”

The Hill has reached out to the Justice Department for comment.