Emmanuel Macron joined Donald Trump to throw handfuls of soil on the roots of a young oak tree. (AFP)
Washington, United States:
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.
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 the 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.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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 the 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.
A yellow spot is seen where the tree was planted on April 23 in the White House. (Reuters)
"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.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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