By Kanishka Singh
WASHINGTON, Oct 26 (Reuters) – A US judge extended on Monday a court order blocking President Donald Trump’s plans to renovate a historic Washington golf course where she had deemed a removal of trees “inexcusable”.
The renovation, at the center of a lawsuit over environmental and historic preservation concerns, is one of the projects Trump is pursuing to reshape landmarks in the US capital.
“The court still does not speak for the trees,” US District Judge Ana Reyes said in her order filed in the district court for the District of Columbia, adding, “It speaks only for the rule of law.”
Her order barred the government from “removing or damaging additional trees” on the course.
It also ordered the government to provide 10 business days’ of written advance notice before it makes any “irreparable modification” at the park, pending the suit outcome.
Two weeks earlier, Reyes faulted the conduct of Justice Department lawyers in the lawsuit seeking to halt the Trump administration’s takeover of the historic golf course.
It was “inexcusable” that hundreds of trees were removed from the course during the prior weekend, she added.
Last week Trump said his administration would begin renovation work immediately, despite the judge’s order that work could not proceed without prior notice to the court.
In an online post, Trump declared his administration had “an absolute right” to proceed, while blasting the judge as “lunatic,” and calling the lawsuit “ridiculous.”
The DC Preservation League sued in February to halt the takeover, on the grounds that it would violate environmental laws and “irreparably destroy a priceless piece of American history.”
Reyes said the government had asked her to disregard Trump’s statements about the renovation plans.
“Rarely, if ever, has the United States Department of Justice urged a federal court not to believe the sitting president,” Reyes said.
“This started as a case about golf … But it has become much more,” she added.
“It now forces the court to reconcile assertions by President Donald J. Trump with the sworn testimony of multiple government employees and the argument of senior DOJ attorneys.”
(Reporting by Kanishka Singh in Washington; Editing by Clarence Fernandez)
