French President Sends Trump New Tree After ‘Friendship Tree’ Died

French President Emmanuel Macron will send President Donald Trump a new tree following the death of a so-called ‘Friendship Tree’. The original tree was planted by the two presidents in the grounds of the White House before its demise.

The tree was planted in 2018 but removed and placed in quarantine, which is standard procedure for all plants given to the White House by foreign governments. The tree apparently died in quarantine, though how exactly this was allowed to happen to a symbolic gift is not known.

“We will send him another, it is not a tragedy,” President Macron said this week. “Do not see symbols where there are none, the symbol was to plant it together.”

“It turns out that this oak was put in quarantine for American sanitary reasons and the poor thing did not survive,” he went on. “I’ll send another oak because I think the US Marines and the friendship for freedom between our peoples is well worth it.”

There had been some concerns that the first tree’s death could cause a diplomatic incident. Allowing it to die could easily be seen as an insult and the French press were widely reporting the story. Macron has moved to downplay the incident, even as he and Trump continue to have a poor relationship.

The new tree will also have to be quarantined and the administration will have to make sure this one survives in order to avoid any further international incidents.