U.S. District Judge Ana C. Reyes, an appointee of President Biden, expressed significant displeasure during an emergency hearing on Monday, confronting Justice Department lawyers over the removal of hundreds of trees from East Potomac Golf Links in Washington, D.C. The nearly four-hour hearing addressed the National Park Service's recent action to remove approximately 430 trees from the federally managed course over a single weekend, despite the court having previously instructed the government to provide advance notice for any major work at the site.
"You did not do your best. You did your absolute worst." U.S. District Judge Ana C. Reyes
The dispute over East Potomac Golf Links, a historic public golf course situated on federal land, has been ongoing. President Donald Trump has publicly discussed plans to transform the facility into a championship-level course. However, the administration maintains that the recent tree removals were part of a landscape-restoration plan initiated in 2019 and are separate from President Trump’s proposed extensive overhaul. This position is contested by the D.C. Preservation League, which has filed a lawsuit concerning the course's future, arguing that federal environmental and historic-preservation requirements have not been properly observed.
Judge Reyes’s frustration was palpable throughout Monday’s proceedings. She had previously issued clear instructions that the government must provide several business days of notice before undertaking significant alterations, including large-scale tree removal. Contrary to these instructions, notice of the tree removal plan was filed late Friday afternoon, with the extensive work commencing the very next morning. Government attorneys present in court acknowledged that they had been aware of the planned operation several days before notifying the court. This explanation did not satisfy Judge Reyes.
During the hearing, Judge Reyes repeatedly pressed the government attorneys on the delay in notification, stating, "I am just beyond disappointed in the government." Her dismay intensified when she was informed of the scale of the operation. "430 trees!" she exclaimed in court. She also questioned the Justice Department’s interpretation of her prior orders, asking, "On what universe did anyone in your office think that that was acceptable?" When a government attorney suggested that officials had done their best to provide notice, Judge Reyes sharply rejected the assertion, responding, "You did not do your best. You did your absolute worst."
As an immediate consequence of the hearing, Judge Reyes temporarily halted any further tree removal at East Potomac Golf Links. She demanded comprehensive answers regarding who authorized the work and why it was allowed to proceed over a holiday weekend with such limited notice. Furthermore, she directed National Park Service officials to testify under oath, providing a detailed timeline and justification for the operation. The judge indicated that for any future major work, the government would be required to provide several business days of advance notice to the court.
This is not the first instance of Judge Reyes clashing with the Trump administration. In a separate legal challenge concerning restrictions on transgender military service, she issued a preliminary injunction, finding the policy likely unconstitutional. Her conduct in that case also drew criticism from the Justice Department, which subsequently filed a judicial misconduct complaint against her, alleging hostile and inappropriate treatment of government attorneys.
Monday’s hearing added another chapter to this history of confrontation. Judge Reyes underscored that her immediate concern centered on the court's trust. She stated that she had previously extended the benefit of the doubt to government lawyers, believing they would not undertake irreversible work without meaningful prior notice. Instead, hundreds of trees were removed in a matter of hours. The judge suggested that the precise timing of the notification and subsequent work raised serious questions about whether officials might have deliberately waited until the last possible moment to prevent opposing parties from seeking timely court intervention.
Despite the judge's strong reaction, government officials maintained their stance that the work was based on an older, pre-existing National Park Service plan aimed at restoring the historic character of the course. The broader legal dispute surrounding President Trump’s potential renovation plans for East Potomac Golf Links remains unresolved. For the time being, the tree-cutting operation has been paused, pending the demanded sworn testimony and additional explanations from administration officials.
