Judge hears testimony in legal fight over Trump's golf course renovation plans at East Potomac Park

WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal judge hearing testimony Monday on President Donald Trump’s plans to redevelop a Washington golf course expressed deep skepticism over the government’s contention that the recent mass cutting of trees at East Potomac Park and the plans for a new golf course were not connected.

“There is no universe in which all of this coincidentally happened all at the same time,” U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes said during a contentious hearing over the fate of a project that is a key feature of Trump's campaign to leave his personal imprint on the nation's capital.

Reyes last week ordered a halt to the golf course's redevelopment plans until at least Oct. 26 after scolding the government 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 announced plans 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 said 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.