U.S. District Judge Ana C Reyes on Monday ordered a 24-hour pause to tree cutting at the East Potomac Golf Course, saying the government had misled the court by moving ahead with major work over a holiday weekend. Reyes delivered a blistering statement at a three-hour emergency hearing, telling government lawyers she was "thoroughly unamused right now" and that she had given the government "every single benefit of the doubt" only to see the work proceed.
The temporary order can be extended up to 14 days if necessary, the judge said, but it was limited initially so officials could explain why the project needed to be rushed with little notice to plaintiffs or to the court. The work in question is part of renovation plans tied to President Donald Trump’s broader effort to remake the city, according to statements made during the hearing. Plaintiffs in a lawsuit seeking to halt those renovation plans had repeatedly asked the court to stop the activity before the holiday work began.
Reyes also demanded that the government make key decision makers available to the court remotely. She signaled she would hold another hearing on Tuesday and said she wanted to hear directly from Greg Wischer, the Interior Department deputy chief of staff. Testimony from Frank Lands, deputy director of operations for the National Park Service, indicated Wischer had pushed for the work to be done urgently.
Implications And Reactions
Reyes’s order underscored a widening distrust between the independent judiciary and the government, a theme raised during the hearing as lawyers and the judge exchanged sharp remarks about process and candor. The judge told government counsel plainly that she expected better conduct and expressed frustration that court requests appeared to have been ignored over the holiday weekend.
The emergency session grew as the judge required the government to produce participants involved in the decision making. Court officials and plaintiffs will use the additional hearing to press for explanations of communications and timing. The episode adds to scrutiny of how the administration carries out projects when litigation is pending, as the judge weighs whether a longer injunction is warranted.
