Judge Blocks East Potomac Park Overhaul in 70-Page Ruling as 400 Trees Were Felled
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Oct 27
Judge Blocks East Potomac Park Overhaul in 70-Page Ruling as 400 Trees Were Felled
1 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Oct 27
Summary
A federal judge temporarily barred the Interior Department from making major alterations at East Potomac Park, halting work tied to President Donald Trump’s vision for a championship golf course.
The 70-page ruling said the government had portrayed the work in court as routine maintenance while actually taking steps toward a larger redevelopment plan.
Judge Ana C. Reyes issued the order after an October clash with Justice Department lawyers and administration officials she said had misrepresented the project and contradicted Trump’s own public statements.
The lawsuit—brought by two Washington residents and a preservation society—sought emergency relief after 400 trees were cut down in a single morning earlier this month.
The dispute exposes a lower-profile Trump plan for reshaping Washington, alongside efforts involving the Kennedy Center, a 250-foot arch at Arlington and a White House ballroom.