Federal judge clashes with Justice Department over golf course tree removal

A federal judge held a tense court hearing on October 12 after the Trump administration cut down more than 500 trees in a Washington D.C. park without warning. The trees were removed from East Potomac Park over a holiday weekend. Judge Ana Reyes only heard about it on Friday afternoon, just before the work began. She ordered two government officials to give testimony in court. The government said the tree removal was normal maintenance work, but President Trump called the park "overgrown and unsafe" on social media. A Justice Department lawyer asked Judge Reyes to step down from the case, saying she was unfair to the administration. She refused on October 19. Trump has announced plans to build a championship golf course there, with work starting November 15.