The images of the two presidents, shovels in hand, in the gardens of the White House, had been around the world. But the tree planted in April 2018 did not survive.
The photo of Donald Trump and Emmanuel Macron planting an oak in the gardens of the White House symbolised the friendship shown by the two leaders. But the transplant did not take, and while relations have since stretched, the tree has not survived.
The French president had offered the young oak to his American counterpart on the occasion of his state visit to Washington in April 2018. Between two accolades supported, heads of state, golden shovels in hand, had thrown a handful of earth on the roots of the shrub, under the watchful eye of their wives and, most importantly, cameras from around the world.
Placed in quarantine
The young shoot came from a forest in the north of France where more than 2000 American Marines perished during the Great War.
But the oak symbol of Franco-American friendship had almost immediately disappeared, to be placed in quarantine. “It’s mandatory for any living organism imported into the United States,” explained the French ambassador to the United States at the time, Gérard Araud. “It will be replanted afterwards. “
In fact, it has never been replanted, we learned this week from a diplomatic source, while Emmanuel Macron and Donald Trump met on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the Allied landing in Normandy, where they are striving to silence the many disagreements, from Iran to trade, which has tarnished their relations over the last year.
The tree died during the quarantine.
