{
  "id": 5019500,
  "title": "Trump's cherry tree removal row: Company working on DC golf course denies cutting trees gifted by Japan",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/02/trumps-cherry-tree-removal-row-company-working-on-dc-golf-course",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-09-02T05:02:43.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Hindustan Times - World News",
    "slug": "hindustan-times-world-news",
    "url": "https://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/us-news/donald-trump-cherry-tree-removal-row-company-working-on-east-potomac-golf-course-denies-cutting-trees-gifted-by-japan-101788323467398.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The East Potomac Golf Links in Washington DC is facing controversy after reports surfaced that cherry trees, including one from a Japanese-gifted grove, were removed. According to the Washington Post, about 60 trees were cut down at the park. This has sparked significant backlash, with critics accusing President Donald Trump of violating a federal judge's order and damaging historic trees. The National Park Service (NPS) is under fire for the alleged tree removals. However, the company responsible for the golf course, RTEC Treecare, has denied cutting down the cherry tree. RTEC Treecare stated that their work involved only removing hazardous trees and that the cherry tree removals mentioned in a recent Washington Post article were incorrect.",
  "summary": "A report noted that a cherry tree from the Japanese-gifted grove was felled amid Trump's dream project of overhauling the East Potomac Golf Links in DC.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 3,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Hindustan Times - World News",
        "title": "How many of DC's Japanese cherry trees did Trump chop down? Inside East Potomac Park golf course overhaul",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/01/how-many-of-dcs-japanese-cherry-trees-did-trump-chop-down-inside-east",
        "published": "2026-09-01T22:38:18.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Straits Times",
        "title": "Sun sets on Punggol East Container Park as tenants prepare to vacate ‘slice of paradise’ by year-end",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/02/sun-sets-on-punggol-east-container-park-as-tenants-prepare-to-vacate",
        "published": "2026-09-02T00:30:00.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}