Trump Administration Seeks Judge's Removal Over East Potomac Golf Course Tree Removal

The Justice Department filed a motion on Friday asking U.S. District Judge Anna C. Reyes to recuse herself from the lawsuit over the planned overhaul of East Potomac Links. Government lawyers cited her conduct at Monday's hearing as egregious and argued she showed deep-seated antipathy toward the Trump Administration.

Hours later, the government filed a second motion asking Reyes to lift her order blocking further tree removal. The filing revealed that the National Park Service now estimates about 729 trees could ultimately be removed, roughly 200 more than the 529 initially identified, with about 300 still standing.

“Judge Reyes's conduct rises to the level of deep-seated and unequivocal antipathy toward the Trump Administration.”

East Potomac Golf Links is a public course built between 1918 and 1923 in a park listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It belongs to the federal government and is managed by the National Park Service under the Interior Department, not by Donald Trump.

Trump announced on social media that the course will close starting November 15 for 15 months of renovations to make it one of the best and most spectacular golf courses in the world. He said it should be able to host world-class tournaments such as the U.S. Open, the PGA Championship, the Ryder Cup, and the Presidents Cup.

Democracy Forward, representing plaintiffs challenging the renovation, said the course is part of a national park and recreation facility meant for everyone to enjoy. Skye Perryman, the group's president and CEO, said the litigation will continue to defend it from unlawful and harmful intrusion.

The judge ordered the government to notify her by 8 p.m. EDT Sunday whether its position had changed from a Friday court filing stating Trump had given at most preliminary thought to the rebuilding plan and there was no final agency action.