Fact vs. Fiction: Did Trump Cut Down Dozens of D.C. Cherry Trees for Golf Course Renovations?

Claim via Social Media:

Social media posts claimed that President Donald Trump’s administration cut down dozens, and in some versions more than 100, of Washington, D.C.’s famous cherry trees to make way for renovations at East Potomac Golf Links. Some posts further suggested the removals violated a court order and damaged historic cherry trees gifted by Japan.

Explanation

This claim is false.

The rumor spread after Trump officials unveiled renovation plans for the East Potomac golf course and Trump later said on Truth Social that work would begin Sept. 1. The proposal has been controversial, with local preservation groups filing a legal challenge over the project and public access to East Potomac Park.

However, there is no confirmed evidence that dozens of cherry trees were cut down for the golf course renovation. According to Snopes, the claim appears to have grown from a misreading or exaggeration of a Washington Post report that found roughly 60 trees had been removed around the course. That report identified at least one removed cherry tree, not dozens of cherry trees.

The Interior Department said the removals were part of routine park maintenance involving hazardous, dying, declining, or invasive trees. The tree-care company working at the site, RTEC Treecare, also stated that it had not removed any cherry trees at East Potomac Park Golf Course and that its work was limited to trees selected by National Park Service arborists.

Court-related claims are also overstated. A federal judge reportedly said officials must notify the court if renovation plans required removal of more than 10 trees, but that does not prove dozens of cherry trees had already been cut down or that historic Japanese-gifted trees were removed. The Associated Press reported on the judge’s concerns, but not that the viral cherry-tree claim had been verified.

The broader cherry tree history also matters. The National Park Service says fewer than 100 of the original Japanese-gifted cherry trees remain, while nearly 4,000 cherry trees grow across West and East Potomac Parks, the Washington Monument grounds, and nearby areas. Separately, during the Biden administration, the Park Service removed 300 trees near the Tidal Basin, including 140 cherry trees, as part of a seawall repair project, with replanting planned afterward, according to AP News.

Conclusion

Fact or Fiction? Fiction.There is evidence that some trees were removed at East Potomac Park, and at least one removed tree was reportedly a cherry tree. However, there is no verified evidence that Trump cut down dozens of D.C. cherry trees, destroyed historic Japanese-gifted trees, or violated a court order to clear the way for golf course renovations. The viral claim exaggerates and misrepresents what is currently known.