President Donald Trump announced a bold plan to replace Joint Base Andrews’ rundown golf courses with world‑class venues designed by legend Jack Nicklaus, saying the current 400‑year‑old grass is “really bad” and pledging the new courses will benefit youth and disabled veterans.
Nicklaus to Redesign Andrews Golf Courses
Trump made the claim during a recent statement, asserting that Nicklaus will create “world championship” courses on the historic base. The project aims to modernize military facilities while offering recreational opportunities for service members and civilians.
Judge Ana Reyes Clashes with Trump Administration over Tree Removal
A Biden‑appointed federal judge, Ana Reyes, erupted in an emergency hearing on Monday after learning that hundreds of trees were being removed from the East Potomac Golf Links on the National Mall’s Hains Point. Reyes shouted at government attorneys, demanding to know whether they had email or cell‑phone notice of the removal, which began just hours after a late‑Friday alert.
Approximately 430 trees had already been cut, according to journalist Scott MacFarlane, who reported Reyes “screaming” at counsel. The judge accused the administration of violating procedural rules, noting that the removal occurred just before a holiday weekend.
Reyes, a Uruguay‑born judge nominated by President Biden in 2023, has a history of confronting Trump officials. She previously challenged a DOJ attorney over transgender military service restrictions, calling the policy “biologically inaccurate,” and ruled in 2025 that Trump violated notice requirements when firing several inspectors general.
The administration argues the tree removal follows a 2019 National Park Service landscape‑restoration plan, separate from Trump’s proposal to convert the historic public course into a championship‑caliber golf facility. Preservationists, including former Obama ethics lawyer Norm Eisen, contend the administration has ignored required environmental and historic‑preservation reviews.
Eisen celebrated the court’s decision to hear the case on an emergency basis, tweeting a victory lap as the judge agreed to expedite proceedings. The legal battle underscores growing tension between the Trump administration’s redevelopment ambitions and a coalition of legal opponents seeking to protect the site’s historic character.
