---
title: "Trump and Macron planted a tree -- but where did it go?"
description: "The photograph was seen around the world: US President Donald Trump and France's Emmanuel Macron, gilded spades in hand, shovelling dirt over a young sapling."
type: "NewsArticle"
publisher: "Daily Maverick"
site: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za"
section: "Newsdeck"
author: "AFP"
author_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/author/afp/"
canonical_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2018-04-30-trump-and-macron-planted-a-tree-but-where-did-it-go/"
published: "2018-04-30T05:22:57"
lang: "en-ZA"
word_count: 168
---

# Trump and Macron planted a tree -- but where did it go?

> The photograph was seen around the world: US President Donald Trump and France's Emmanuel Macron, gilded spades in hand, shovelling dirt over a young sapling.

By AFP · Published 30 April 2018, 07:22 SAST

## Content

A week ago, at the beginning of Macron's visit to Washington, the French president joined his American counterpart to throw handfuls of soil on the roots of a young oak tree as their respective first ladies looked on

It was a symbolic gesture: the tree came from a northern French forest where 2,000 US Marines died during the First World War.

But a few days later, the plant was nowhere to be seen.

Amid fervent speculation, France on Sunday came through with an explanation: the tree, now not just a plant but a symbol of US-French relations, had been placed in quarantine.

"It is a quarantine which is mandatory for any living organism imported into the US," Gerard Araud, French ambassador to America, wrote on Twitter.

"It will be replanted afterwards."

When a follower fired back that the caution seemed a bit late -- given that the tree had already been planted -- the diplomat went on to confirm that the roots had been enclosed in plastic. **DM**