President Donald Trump criticized a federal judge Monday, just before she held another hearing over his administration's efforts to renovate the East Potomac Golf Course in Washington, D.C. Over the weekend, the president posted a plan for the golf course to social media, showing major changes to the public space—something which has drawn a legal challenge over concerns the government had not used federal review and approval processes. Trump then posted to Truth Social Monday morning, saying he did not feel the government needed Judge Ana C.
Reyes' approval in order to start the work. "The judge on the case is a crazed lunatic whose courthouse tapes will reveal, may be insane? The tapes have been blocked from usage by the judge.
The random golfer bringing the ridiculous lawsuit has zero standing!" Trump posted. The Trump administration had called for Reyes to recuse herself from the case, which she refused to do. As the hearing got underway Monday morning, in which Reyes had called for senior U.S.
Department of the Interior officials to testify after hundreds of trees were felled a week ago with little notice, the judge appeared frustrated at administration attorneys for not having signed a filing. "We can do this all day…I have nothing planned for this evening," she said, per Politico's Kyle Cheney inside the courtroom. Newsweek reached out to the coalition which brought the lawsuit and the Department of the Interior for comment Monday morning.
In May, the Department of the Interior revealed plans for the 106-year-old park and public golf course, which included an 18-hole championship course, intended to host major tournaments. A 9-hole short course, pitch-and-putt, and double-sided driving range were also included. Those plans included retention of the Ohio Drive Loop, walking and biking access around much of the peninsula, and preservation of the Hains Point green space, which includes some of the capital's historic cherry trees.
An updated plan released by Trump over the weekend showed the 9-hole course had been removed, instead replaced by one large championship course which would extend into public recreation space. The perimeter loop was also removed, and the cherry trees were also missing. This is a breaking news story.
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