Macron to send new tree to Trump after oak death given as gift

It was quarantined due to fears that parasites in the tree might spread to others on the property.

Earlier this week US officials said she died, triggering an avalanche of social networking posts that compared her death to the difficult relationship the two leaders have been having since the visit.

Macron is in conflict with Trump's unilateralist approach to trade, climate change and a nuclear deal with Iran.

"We will send you another one, it is not a tragedy," Macron told the Swiss network RTS at a meeting of the International Labor Organization (ILO) in Geneva. "Do not see symbols where there are none, the symbol was to plant it together."

The French forest tree of Belleau, where nearly 2,000 American soldiers died in a World War I battle, was withdrawn not long after being planted.

"It turns out that this oak has been quarantined for North American sanitary reasons and the poor little one did not survive," Macron said. "I'll send another oak because I think the US marines and the friendship for freedom among our peoples make it worthwhile."