Judge blisters Trump DOJ's stunning demand in golf course case: 'That good walk spoiled'

A federal judge issued a blistering order Monday night concerning President Donald Trump's attempts to renovate the East Potomac Golf Course in Washington, D.C.

The Trump administration has conducted heavy tree work at the golf course despite Judge Ana Reyes' repeated rulings prohibiting any renovation work. Justice Department lawyers told Reyes in separate filings that they would alert the court if any more work was going to be performed and asked her to ignore Trump's social media posts announcing additional work. In one instance, the government cleared more than 400 trees without notifying the court.

On Monday night, Reyes issued a new order granting a preliminary injunction against the Trump administration, calling out DOJ lawyers for trying to sweep these issues under the rug.

"Rarely, if ever, has the United States Department of Justice urged a federal court not to believe the sitting President," Reyes wrote. "Not to believe him that a cabinet secretary has 'developed' a federal land project. Not to believe him that the secretary’s agency will destroy a historic golf course already on the land."

"Not to believe him that 'Restoration work' will begin 'IMMEDIATELY!' (sic). Not to believe him that the course 'will be closed' for over a year. Not to believe what the President has repeatedly told the American public. And yet, here we are. This started as a case about golf. That good walk spoiled," she added.

Reyes' blistering order sparked a wave of criticism online.

Grant Stern, managing editor for Occupy Democrats, posted on X that the ruling was a major blow to the Trump administration.

"Trump just got a major smackdown from a federal judge," Stern wrote.

Mike Davis, a Trump supporter who runs the Article III project, chided Reyes for the order.

"Translation: An emotional (sic) unstable leftist woman from Uruguay who Biden made a DC federal judge believes she (somehow) has the power to tell the duly-elected President (who happens to develop golf courses) how to handle tree maintenance at a rundown federal golf course," Davis posted on X.