A judge blocks the government's tree-clearing spree at a municipal D.C. golf course

A federal judge has ordered a new pause in tree cutting at East Potomac Golf Links, barring further removals through Oct. 26. The order also requires the administration to give the court and plaintiffs three business days' written notice before making irreversible changes to the course. It extends an earlier, shorter halt imposed after hundreds of trees were cut over the weekend.

The dispute is part of a broader fight over plans to reshape the historic public course. President Trump has promoted a championship-level renovation, but residents and preservationists have raised concerns about the project's scale and the lack of a clear public plan. The course and nearby park are used by golfers, runners, cyclists, fishers and picnickers.

At a hearing Monday, Judge Ana Reyes criticized the government's handling of the tree removal and ordered senior Interior Department officials to testify about how the work was approved. The hearing followed the weekend clearing, which plaintiffs say happened with too little notice. The court has not yet decided the underlying legal claims.

The order has immediate practical effect: crews cannot cut more trees while the temporary restriction is in force. It also gives plaintiffs and the court advance warning before other changes that could be difficult to undo. That requirement may matter as much as the pause while the judge evaluates what work is planned.

The next public marker is a hearing scheduled for Oct. 19, when officials are expected to explain the decision-making. The Oct. 26 deadline gives the court time to consider what happens after the pause. The case will turn on the record, the government's testimony and whether a fuller renovation proposal emerges.