A US federal judge has ordered a halt to further tree-cutting at East Potomac Golf Links in Washington, DC, after more than 500 trees were felled as part of a renovation project backed by President Donald Trump.

District Judge Ana Reyes issued the order on Monday, barring the government from removing or damaging additional trees at the public golf course while a lawsuit over the project proceeds.

The judge also directed the government to provide at least 10 business days’ written notice before making any irreversible changes to features of East Potomac Park.

In her 70-page ruling, Reyes criticised the removal of hundreds of trees without adequate notice, noting that the government had known about the planned work for at least a week. She described the felled trees as healthy and posing no safety hazards.

The renovation plan is part of Trump’s push to transform the century-old public course, known for its affordable rates, into a facility capable of hosting major championship-level golf events.

The project has faced opposition from an environmental group that filed the lawsuit and local golfers concerned about losing access to one of the city’s affordable public golfing facilities.

Trump said on Monday that the course would still close for renovation as scheduled on November 15 and vowed to appeal the ruling.

“The judge has absolutely no right to hold up this very important and beautiful Project,” the president wrote on Truth Social.

Referring to the Dr Seuss book The Lorax, Reyes said the court did not speak for the trees but “only for the rule of law.”