A nearly 200-year-old Magnolia tree with ties to former President Andrew Jackson will be removed from the White House, President Trump announced on Sunday.
“Working together with a fantastic and very talented Executive Residence Staff, along with the wonderful people at the National Park Service, we are making tremendous enhancements to the White House, thereby preserving and protecting History!” he said on Truth Social.
“One of the interesting dilemmas is a tree planted many years ago by the Legendary President and General, Andrew Jackson,” Trump continued. “It is a Southern Magnolia, that came from his home, The Hermitage, in Tennessee. That’s the good news! 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.”
According to the National Park Service, the tree was damaged in 1994 when a plane attempting to strike the White House crashed into its base. It also underwent "significant branch removal and pruning" in 2017.
Folklore tells us that these two southern magnolia trees were planted by President Andrew Jackson with seeds brought to Washington from the Hermitage, the President’s home near Nashville, Tennessee. The seeds were planted to honor the memory of Jackson's late wife, Rachel, who had died suddenly just months prior to him assuming office. Historical photographic documentation shows that magnolias first appeared at this location near the South Portico in the 1860s, still the trees are attributed to President Jackson. In 2006, the trees were designated as Witness Trees by the National Park Service, having borne witness to many “significant historic and cultural events.” The base of the trees also took the brunt of a Cessna airplane crash which targeted the White House in September 1994 and were subject to significant branch removal and pruning in December 2017. (NPS)
Trump said another “beautiful tree” will replace the Magnolia and explained “The Historic wood from the tree will be preserved by the White House Staff, and may be used for other high and noble purposes!!!”
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) March 30, 2025
🚨 BREAKING: Trump announces the tree planted by Andrew Jackson on the White House grounds - a Southern Magnolia - will be removed and its wood preserved
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) March 30, 2025
"This tree is in terrible condition, a very dangerous safety hazard, at the White House entrance, no less." pic.twitter.com/P2Ubdpqx2F
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