Federal judge orders Trump administration to halt work for a day on historic DC golf course

WASHINGTON (AP) – U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes on Monday ordered a 24-hour halt to tree-cutting at the East Potomac Golf Course, a historic D.C.

What happened

Reyes issued the order after a tense three-hour hearing in which she harshly criticized the administration for having deceived her with its actions over the holiday weekend.

Reyes remarked the 24-hour temporary order could be extended to 14 days if necessary. It was limited to one day while the administration tries to find a key Trump administration official to discuss why a massive tree-cutting at the park needed to occur over the holiday weekend, with little notification to plaintiffs in a lawsuit trying to halt renovation aims or the judge. "I am thoroughly unamused right now."

As the Trump administration tries to steamroll scrutiny of its actions, from the White House ballroom to immigration enforcement, it's the latest example of the erosion of trust between the administration and the independent judiciary.

The bottom line

Taken together, the developments around federal judge orders Trump administration to halt work for a day on point to a situation that is still moving, and the coming days should bring more clarity.