A federal judge on Monday halted further tree removal at East Potomac Golf Links, after the National Park Service cut down more than 400 trees over the weekend as part of President Donald Trump’s plan to remake the Washington golf course as a championship-level facility. U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes sharply criticized the administration during a hearing that lasted nearly four hours, saying government lawyers had gone ahead despite an understanding that major renovation work would not proceed without giving the court time to respond. “I trusted you all not to do precisely what you have done,” Reyes said. She added that the administration had “lost credibility” and that “there is no excuse for this.” The tree cutting began Saturday. The Justice Department notified the court shortly before 5 p.m. Friday, as government offices were closing for the holiday weekend, leaving little time for the judge or preservation advocates to seek intervention before the work started. The dispute is part of ongoing litigation brought by the D.C. Preservation League over efforts to preserve the course. At the hearing, Reyes and attorneys for the group worked to establish how plans to remove more than 400 trees had proceeded while the case was pending. The ruling pauses additional tree removal as the legal challenge continues.