Judge ‘furious’ over tree removal at DC golf course, orders Trump administration to stop

A federal judge has ordered a temporary halt to tree cutting at a historic golf course in Washington, D.C., where President Trump wants to make some major changes. And the judge is not happy with how his administration has gone about it. More than 400 trees were cut down at East Potomac Golf Links over the holiday weekend. And during a hearing Monday, federal Judge Ana Reyes said she was, quote, furious. She had previously ordered government lawyers to give advance notice before making major changes. But the Justice Department waited until 4:55 Friday afternoon, just five minutes before the long holiday weekend, to file that notice. Reyes said she had trusted the government not to do exactly what it did, adding quote, there is no excuse for this. The government says it was removing dead or dangerous trees under a plan dating back to 2019, but the judge wants to know why it had to happen so quickly. She's blocked further tree-cutting until at least two this afternoon, and wants answers from a senior Interior Department official. The group challenging Trump's plans wants the halt extended to 14 days.