Judge grills Trump administration over plans to overhaul Washington golf course

WASHINGTON (AP) – A federal judge on Monday questioned the Trump administration's claims surrounding its efforts to redevelop a historic Washington golf course, challenging its contention that a recent tree-cutting spree did not indicate work was moving forward on the project.

Key points

• Then, on Sunday, Trump confirmed aims on social media to close the golf course for 15 months, starting on Nov.
• Reyes last week ordered a halt to the golf course's redevelopment intends until at least Oct.
• Plaintiffs' attorneys challenging the golf course renovation work have asked Reyes to extend her order that temporarily paused the work.
• "There is no universe in which all of this coincidentally happened all at the same time, " U.S.

"There is no universe in which all of this coincidentally happened all at the same time, " U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes remarked during a hearing over the fate of a project that has emerged as the latest legal flashpoint in President Donald Trump's campaign to leave his personal imprint on the nation's capital. The hearing, which continued more than five hours, concluded with Reyes taking no action.

Reyes last week ordered a halt to the golf course's redevelopment intends until at least Oct. 26 after scolding the administration for starting a large-scale tree removal at the course over a holiday weekend while providing little notice to the court or the plaintiffs trying to stop the makeover.

Then, on Sunday, Trump confirmed aims on social media to close the golf course for 15 months, starting on Nov. 15, and redevelop the 106-year-old park and course despite a court challenge by the D.C. Preservation League and two golfers. In a post on Monday, Trump remarked the work would start immediately.

Plaintiffs' attorneys challenging the golf course renovation work have asked Reyes to extend her order that temporarily paused the work. They say the work is inflicting irreversible damage and that the redevelopment would violate the congressional act that created the park where the course is located.

Taken together, the developments around judge grills Trump administration over plans to overhaul Washington golf course point to a situation that is still moving, and the coming days should bring more clarity.