WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump announced on Sunday that a nearly two-century-old tree on the White House grounds will be cut down due to its deteriorating condition. The southern magnolia, located near the south side of the building’s curved portico, has been a fixture for ceremonial visits by foreign leaders and the president’s departure for Marine One helicopter flights.According to the National Park Service, folklore suggests that the tree’s seeds were brought by President Andrew Jackson from his home in Nashville, Tennessee, and planted in memory of his late wife Rachel around 1829.“While it is sad to see this iconic tree go, its deteriorating state poses a serious safety risk at the White House Entrance,” Trump shared on his social media platform, Truth Social. “The removal process will begin next week, and a new, beautiful tree will be planted in its place.”Trump also mentioned the possibility of using the tree’s wood for other purposes of significance.The tree underwent significant pruning during Trump’s first term in 2017 and sustained damage in 1994 when a small plane crashed into the South Lawn and hit the White House.
