Judge blocks Trump administration from cutting down trees at D.C. golf course for 2 weeks

October 13, 2026 / 1:34 PM EDT / CBS News

Washington — A federal judge on Tuesday barred the Trump administration from removing trees at East Potomac Golf Links in Washington, D.C., for another two weeks after hundreds of trees were felled at the historic public course over the weekend.

U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes said in a brief order that the Department of the Interior and National Park Service may not cut down any further trees at East Potomac through Oct. 26. She also said that through that date, the Trump administration must provide the court and plaintiffs, the D.C. Preservation League and two local golfers, with three business days' notice before "making any irreparable modification to any permanent form or feature" of the course.

Reyes said the D.C. Preservation League and golfers will likely be harmed without relief. The plaintiffs are challenging President Trump's planned overhaul of East Potomac.

The brief order comes after the judge fiercely chastised the Justice Department during a nearly four-hour-long hearing Monday. She called the hearing after learning Friday afternoon that the National Park Service planned to remove an estimated 529 trees at East Potomac golf course as part of a "tree management…

Original source: https://www.cbsnews.com/entertainment/