President Donald Trump’s effort to reshape Washington, DC, has expanded to the removal of dozens of mature trees across federal properties. The work includes tree removals at the White House grounds and the historic East Potomac Golf Links.
The initiative seeks to overhaul several high-profile public spaces. These include the White House, Lafayette Square, the East Potomac Golf Links, and areas surrounding national monuments. Among them were a cherry tree near the 14th hole and two large sycamores on the fourth hole. Stumps now mark several former tree locations. The administration plans to turn the municipal golf course into a championship-level venue capable of hosting the Ryder Cup, PGA Tour events, and the U.S. Open. The administration has also altered landscaping at the White House.
More than 60 trees have already been removed from the century-old East Potomac Golf Links, according to The Washington Post. Documents previously reviewed by The Washington Post indicated Trump’s proposal to plant 47 maple trees, symbolising his position as the 47th president, although existing trees would need to be removed to implement the redesign.
Trump’s executive order, “Making the District of Columbia Safe and Beautiful,” signed in March 2025, relates to the tree removals. The White House has said the project aims to restore prestige to Washington’s waterfront and modernize the public facility. Mature trees along the North and South Lawns have been removed or heavily pruned to accommodate expanded security measures and construction for the new ballroom project, according to Forbes.
Earlier renovation work also replaced much of the Rose Garden’s traditional landscaping with a paved patio Plans for Lafayette Square have also attracted attention.
They also contend that the administration bypassed standard federal environmental reviews before beginning construction work. The opposition argued that the project conflicts with an 1897 Act of Congress that required the park to remain dedicated to public recreation. Updated federal disclosures estimate that taxpayer-backed costs for the capital’s redesign now exceed $1.2 billion, though the administration has previously said several projects would rely on private funding, according to The New York Times.
