(AFP) – A US federal judge on Tuesday extended a halt on tree-cutting at a Washington golf course until October 26, pausing work at the historic site that is part of President Donald Trump’s plan to remake the capital. Judge Ana Reyes issued an emergency order on Monday halting further tree removal, in a victory for environmental advocates, who estimated that about 500 trees were felled at the site over the weekend and hundreds more were slated to be cut down later in the week.
The judge made the decision after an emergency hearing in which she sharply criticized the government for failing to notify the court and the opposing side of its plans until late Friday. She also ordered the government to give three business days’ notice before making any further “irreparable modification” to the East Potomac golf course and scheduled a follow-up hearing for October 19.
A keen golfer, Trump wants to renovate the municipal course, which he has described as dilapidated, saying it could eventually host major tournaments. Since returning to the White House in January 2025, Trump has pursued a series of construction and renovation projects to reshape Washington, saying he wants to restore the capital to its former glory after years of what he sees as neglect by previous administrations.
Democrats, however, accuse Trump of wasting taxpayer money on vanity projects, many of which face legal challenges. They include a massive White House ballroom that required demolishing an entire wing, and Kennedy Center renovations as Trump seeks to add his name to the arts venue.
Trump acknowledged the personal nature of the projects in an interview published in New York Magazine last month. Asked whether the US leader was essentially building monuments to himself because nobody else would honor him after he left office, Trump said: “Nobody will do it once I’m gone. When I leave here, nobody will.”
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