The tree gifted by French President Emmanuel Macron to U.S. President Donald Trump has died, according to French media reports Monday.
Trump and Macron planted the oak tree sapling on the White House lawn during Macron’s state visit to the U.S. in April 2018, but it went missing shortly afterwards. French Ambassador to the U.S., Gerard Araud, tweeted at the time that the sapling had been put in quarantine to comply with U.S. customs regulations, and would be replanted at a later date.
However, French news agency AFP reported Monday that the tree died in quarantine, citing a French diplomatic source.
It is in quarantine which is mandatory for any living organism imported to the US. It will be replanted afterwards. https://t.co/XyJRKTgPWW
— Gérard Araud (@GerardAraud) April 29, 2018
The tree hailed from Belleau Wood, where more 2,000 American marines died, and over 7,000 were injured, in a battle in June 1918 during World War I.
CNBC’s request for comment from the French Embassy in Washington was not responded to immediately.
