President Trump on Tuesday helped shovel dirt onto the replacement for a historic White House tree that had to be removed because of safety concerns around its deteriorating condition. "We have a beautiful tree now at the White House," Trump said. The White House did not allow news media coverage of the tree planting, but afterward shared a brief video clip on social media, the AP reports. Trump "planted a new MAGAnolia sapling at the White House," the White House said in a post on X.
Dale Haney, the longtime grounds superintendent, also participated. "Dale's been here 53 years. He's fantastic," Trump said. The president announced March 30 that the nearly 200-year-old tree, known as the Jackson Magnolia, was in "terrible condition, a very dangerous safety hazard, at the White House Entrance, no less, and must now be removed." The southern magnolia had stood for decades near the west side of the South Portico of the White House. According to the National Park Service, "folklore tells us" that President Andrew Jackson brought the tree's seeds from his home near Nashville, Tennessee.
A 12-year-old sapling that is a direct descendant of the Jackson Magnolia was planted in its place on Tuesday, the White House said. The National Park Service, which manages the White House grounds, said the sapling was grown at its offsite greenhouse specifically to replace the Jackson Magnolia. "Remnants of the old tree will be preserved by the Office of the Curator and honored by the White House, and this new tree will continue the heritage of the 'Jackson Magnolia' for generations to come," the White House and the NPS said in a joint statement, per USA Today. (More White House stories.)
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