A federal judge was due to hear arguments on Monday over whether to extend an injunction blocking further tree removal at East Potomac Golf Links in Washington DC, as Donald Trump defended plans to redevelop the historic public course.
US District Judge Ana C Reyes issued an emergency temporary restraining order last week after the National Park Service removed about 430 trees from the site. The order prevents the Trump administration from felling any more trees until October 26.
The case was brought by the DC Preservation League and two local golfers, who are challenging the administration’s proposed transformation of the course. They argue that the redevelopment requires proper environmental and historic-preservation reviews before irreversible work can begin. ([law.justia.com](https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/district-courts/district-of-columbia/dcdce/1%3A2026cv00477/289401/79/?utm_source=openai))
Judge Reyes has ordered Gregory Wischer, deputy chief of staff at the Department of the Interior, and Jessica Bowron, the acting director of the National Park Service, to testify about how the tree-removal operation was authorised and carried out.
The judge’s order followed criticism of the government’s decision to notify the court and the plaintiffs shortly before work began over a holiday weekend. The court also required the administration to give three business days’ written notice before making any further irreversible alteration to the course. ([apnews.com](https://apnews.com/article/04410cbb0deaa1ee77bfc7154b784201?utm_source=openai))
Trump used a Truth Social post before the hearing to insist that the Interior Department had the legal authority to proceed without further approval. He described the existing course as unsafe and said the planned renovation would produce a “world-class” facility.
“They have an absolute right to do so,” Trump wrote, adding that “work is scheduled to begin immediately”. He also attacked Judge Reyes and dismissed the lawsuit brought by what he called a “random golfer”.
The dispute intensified after Trump announced that East Potomac Golf Links would close from November 15 for a renovation expected to last about 15 months. His administration has said the course would remain open to the public once the work was complete. ([apnews.com](https://apnews.com/article/ef8daa134bb6c7c08fd528d98aa3e77f?utm_source=openai))
The administration has maintained that the tree cutting was separate from Trump’s proposed redesign and instead related to a long-standing plan to restore the course’s historic links-style landscape. Judge Reyes has nevertheless concluded, at least provisionally, that officials moved with urgency because of the president’s redevelopment plans. ([washingtonpost.com](https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2026/10/18/trump-share-plan-overhaul-east-potomac-golf-links/?utm_source=openai))
The hearing is expected to determine whether the temporary restrictions should be replaced with a broader preliminary injunction while the legal challenge continues.
