White House to remove magnolia tree dating to Andrew Jackson
The White House will remove from its property a magnolia tree planted nearly 200 years ago with seeds said to have been brought from former President Jackson’s home in Tennessee.
President Trump announced Sunday that, after consulting with the Executive Residence Staff and the National Park Service, the administration has decided to replace the tree, saying it poses a safety hazard.
“The bad news is that everything must come to an end, and this tree is in terrible condition, a very dangerous safety hazard, at the White House Entrance, no less, and must now be removed,” Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social, noting that the “good news” is that his administration is “making tremendous enhancements to the White House.”
“This process will take place next week, and will be replaced by another, very beautiful tree,” Trump said.
Trump added that White House staff will preserve the Magnolia tree’s “Historic wood,” which, Trump said, “may be used for other high and noble purposes!!!”
The tree was planted with seeds from a tree at The Hermitage, Jackson's home in Tennessee, to honor his late wife, Rachel, who died just months before Jackson took office.
Efforts have been made for decades to preserve the historic tree, which underwent a “significant branch removal and pruning in December 2017,” according to The National Park Service.