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In a post on his Truth Social platform early Monday, President Donald Trump said the Interior Department has “an absolute right” to move forward with overhauling a public golf course in Washington, D.C., attacking the judge who is overseeing a legal challenge to the works.
“The United States Department of Interior wants to take a terrible and very unsafe golf course, and make it into a great, safe, and prestigious golf course. They have an absolute right to do so. It’s as simple as that,” he wrote.
“They do not need an approval. Work is scheduled to begin IMMEDIATELY!” he continued.
Trump also attacked Judge Ana Reyes, calling her a “crazed lunatic,” amid his administration’s efforts to disqualify her from the case.
In a Friday court filing, the Justice Department said the judge’s “conduct rises to the level of deep-seated and unequivocal antipathy toward the Trump Administration,” citing an earlier tense hearing.
But Reyes has since refused to step aside, accusing the Trump administration of taking her words out of context.
“It is easy to weaponize selective quotations to bring a baseless recusal motion,” Reyes wrote. “But it is much harder to meet the demanding legal standard against a full record. By any objective measure, the Government fails to meet the standard for recusal. And the Court does not, on its review, conclude it is mandatory.”