Latest news with #JacksonMagnolia
USA Today
03-05-2025
- Politics
- USA Today
White House replaces 200-year-old 'Jackson Magnolia' with sapling
White House replaces 200-year-old 'Jackson Magnolia' with sapling Show Caption Hide Caption Companies can now sponsor the White House's Easter Egg Roll Breaking tradition, the White House is selling corporate sponsorships to the annual Easter Egg Roll The White House has planted a new sapling to replace an ancient magnolia named for President Andrew Jackson. The nation's seventh president brought the seeds of a southern magnolia tree from his home near Nashville, Tennessee, to the White House lawn in the early 1800s, according to the National Park Service. The tree, part of a group of magnolias near the South Portico, was determined to be a safety threat, according to a team of experts. They included master arborists, the National Park Service, the White House Grounds Superintendent, the White House Executive Residence, the Offices of the President and the First Lady, and the Secret Service. Jackson, whose nickname was Old Hickory was inspired by his tough-as-a-tree demeanor, planted the tree in memory of his wife, Rachel, who died before he took office in 1829, according to the park service. Nearly 200 years on, President Donald Trump ceremoniously helped plant the 12-year-old magnolia sapling taken as a cutting from the original tree. The sapling was grown offsite at the National Park Service Greenhouse as part of a plan to replace its parent. "Despite ongoing preservation efforts, the 'Jackson Magnolia' tree has reached the end of its lifespan and must be removed due to safety concerns," the park service said in a joint statement with the White House. Jackson began his career as a soldier in the Revolution. He later served as a U.S. congressman and senator; a Tennessee State Supreme Court judge, a major general in the Army during the War of 1812 and was the seventh president of the United States from 1829 to 1837. The National Park Service designated Jackson's magnolias as "Witness Trees," for having borne witness to "significant historic and cultural events," according to a park service a Cessna airplane crash, targeting the White House in September 1994, slammed into the base of the trees, damaging them. The average lifespan of a southern magnolia is 100 years, according to the park service. 'Remnants of the old tree will be preserved by the Office of the Curator and honored by the White House, and this new tree will continue the heritage of the 'Jackson Magnolia' for generations to come," according to the joint statement. In a social media post, the White House rebranded the new sapling a "MAGAnolia," in a nod to Trump's "Make America Great Again" campaign slogan. However, the National Park Service phrased it differently in the joint statement, noting that the sapling "will continue the tradition of honoring this tree's history."
New York Post
30-04-2025
- Politics
- New York Post
Trump Rose Garden revamp will begin in a ‘couple weeks,' Susie Wiles says
WASHINGTON — President Trump's promised renovation of the White House Rose Garden will begin in a 'couple of weeks,' chief of staff Susie Wiles told The Post Tuesday. The president has been keen on revamping the executive mansion to be more functional — and to adhere more closely to his personal style. Trump has already redone the Oval Office, adding gold embellishments from Mar-a-Lago and lining the walls with portraits of presidents — but has also made plans to pave the grass portion of the Rose Garden and add a ballroom. 'He's not going to pave over the Rose Garden. The Rose Garden will look exactly as it does,' Wiles clarified in a phone interview. 'The grass is what will be paved over.' 4 Susie Wiles arrives ahead of the 60th inaugural ceremony where Donald Trump will be sworn in as the 47th president on January 20, 2025, in the Capitol Rotunda in Washington, DC. The Washington Post via Getty Images 4 Donald Trump signs executive orders on tariffs during a Make America Wealthy Again event in the Rose Garden at the White House on Wednesday, April 02, 2025 in Washington, DC. The Washington Post via Getty Images The vision for adding pavement to the Rose Garden, is to make it easier to host events in the space, as the grass often gets wet and the White House has to set up a platform for speakers to speak from. Trump has previously said that he doesn't like when guests get their dress shoes wet by walking around on soaked earth. 'The ballroom is still in the design phase,' Wiles said of the president's other planned renovation, 'but he's a builder, so I expect it to once, once the preliminary work is done, I expect it to go up pretty quickly.' 4 Flowers are in bloom in the Rose Garden as President Donald Trump walks out of the Oval Office toward Marine One. Getty Images 4 Spring tulips in bloom in the Rose Garden at the White House in Washington. Corbis via Getty Images Trump has said he ran the $100 million ballroom idea by former President Joe Biden but 'never heard back' — but now he wants to move ahead of the renovation to create 'more room' for hosting events without having to go under a large tent. The president also announced last week the impending construction of two 100-foot flag poles on the north and south lawns of the White House — making sure to mention that he will fund the project himself. 'They needed flagpoles for 200 years. It was something I've often said, you know, they don't have a flagpole per se. So we're putting one right where you saw us, and we're putting another one on the other side, on top of the mounds. It's going to be two beautiful poles,' he told reporters outside the White House April 23. The president contributed to some landscaping work himself earlier in April, grabbing a golden shovel to plant a new sapling that was replacing the nearly 200-year-old Jackson Magnolia tree that was deemed a safety risk.
Irish Daily Star
23-04-2025
- Politics
- Irish Daily Star
Trump branded as 'dumb Donnie' as he takes down historic White House flag in major lawn makeover
President Trump's tacky makeover of the White House continues. On Wednesday Trump was seen scoping out the north lawn of the White House to determine where to place one of two new flag poles, he told reporters. Trump confirmed he would be installing a 100 foot flag pole in front of the White House , in contrast to the current pole that stands at 70 feet tall. "We're putting up a beautiful, almost 100 foot tall American flag. On this and another one on the other side. Two flags. Top of the line. And they've needed flagpoles for 200 years," he said. "Paid for by Trump," he added. This comes just weeks after Trump chopped down historic tress on the White House lawn. Read More Related Articles Donald Trump branded 'dumbest president' after six-word geography confession Read More Related Articles White House branded 'narcissistic' after brief 5-word tribute to Pope This is not the first time Trump has put up an audacious flag pole (Image: AP) This is not the first time Trump has put up an audacious flag pole. In October 2006 Trump took it upon himself to put up an 80-foot flagpole on the front lawn of Mar-a-Lago, with a 15 feet by 25 feet American flag, all without getting a permit or a variance, Politico reported. Rule-breaker Trump defied the requirement that restricted flagpoles to be no higher than 42 feet and flags be a maximum of four feet by six feet. The town council fined Trump $250 a day for every day they remained on the estate, which grew to be a $120,000 fine. Trump then went on the defensive, going on national TV to complain that the Town of Palm Beach was unpatriotic. 'The town council of Palm Beach should be ashamed of itself,' Trump responded. 'They're fining me for putting up the American flag. This is probably a first in United States history.' He then filed a lawsuit against Palm Beach, asking for $25 million in damages to what he called an abridgment to his constitutional right to free speech. Trump eventually dropped his lawsuit over the flag, and in exchange the town waived its fines. Trump's latest flag pole endeavor comes weeks after he announced that one of the historic magnolias planted by President Andrew Jackson nearly 200 years ago will be removed, which comes amid controversial plans for the Jackie Kennedy rose garden. Trump planted a new young Magnolia tree — which he dubbed the "MAGAnolia" — on the South Grounds of the White House to replace the nearly 200-year-old tree he removed because of safety concerns. Trump said the tree was in "terrible condition, a very dangerous safety hazard, at the White House Entrance, no less, and must now be removed." The announcement caused a stir in historian communities, however, with many remarking on the Jackson Magnolia's rich history. Seventh president Jackson brought the seeds from his home near Nashville, Tennessee back in 1829 to plant in memory of his late wife - and were depicted on the $20 bill. However, Trump has claimed "everything must come to an end," as the tree is too damaged and decayed to stay there. The decision to remove the tree followed an assessment by Peter Hart, a registered consulting arborist and member of the American Society of Consulting Arborists. He concluded that the tree had "surpassed the time of serving as an aesthetic and historic landmark due to the potential harm it may cause because of the risk of structural failure." Trump has also made significant changes to the White House's interior. Known for his gaudy gold flair, the New York real estate mogul unveiled a copy of the Declaration of Independence of 1776 sealed in a golden frame behind a curtain in the Oval Office. Trump has also hung up a golden-framed portrait of Ronald Reagan in lieu of Andrew Jackson in the Oval Office, where headshots of United States presidents adorn its elongated walls, according to Trump's deputy chief of staff Dan Scavino. Other decor added to the Oval Office by Trump includes a large bronze statue of Civil War leader Abraham Lincoln and a mock FIFA World Cup trophy. He also reportedly tossed challenge coins, The Daily Mail reports. Click here to follow the Mirror US on Google News to stay up to date with all the latest news, sports and entertainment stories.
New York Post
23-04-2025
- Politics
- New York Post
New spot for Old Glory as Trump announces self-funded change to White House
President Trump unveiled his latest plans to shakeup the White House grounds on Wednesday — announcing he will pay for two large flag poles. The president came out of the residence in the morning to survey the grounds on the north side and was spotted with groundskeepers, who were spreading their arms, showing just how large the flags were going to be. 'We're putting up a beautiful, almost 100 foot tall American flag on this side and another one on the other side, two flags, top of the line,' he later told reporters outside the White House. Advertisement 4 President Trump speaks with Dale Haney, head White House grounds keeper and others, about a new flagpole on the North Lawn of the White House, Wednesday, April 23, 2025, in Washington. AP There are currently no freestanding flag poles on the White House grounds, but there is an American flag flying from the top of the building. 'They needed flag poles for 200 years. It was something I've often said, you know, they don't have a flag pole per se. So we're putting one right where you saw us, and we're putting another one on the other side, on top of the mounds. It's going to be two beautiful poles.' Advertisement 'Paid for by Trump,' the president added, noting they are set to arrive next week. The two flags, one on the north side and one on the South Lawn, are just the latest changes to the White House grounds. 4 Trump told reporters the flag polls will be nearly 100ft and will arrive next week. AFP via Getty Images He's already announced plans to rebuild the Rose Garden to include a platform — instead of the current grass — to make it easier to hold events and deliver speeches with an audience present on pavement without having to stand on soggy ground. Advertisement Trump has also floated building a ball room in the White House, just like he has at Mar-a-Lago. He said he proposed the $100 million idea to the Biden administration, but 'never heard back.' This time, he's going to make the proposal to himself to have 'more room' and hold ceremonies without needing a big tent. 4 Trump waved to reporters and told them about his flag pole plans. Getty Images 4 The White House has a flag at the top of the building. Orhan íam – Advertisement Beyond that, Trump has transformed the Oval Office to include more portraits of past presidents, and has lined the walls with gold, reminiscent of his Mar-a-Lago grand estate. The molding on the walls, the picture frames, the doors and several statues are all adorned in gold. The president personally helped plant a replacement tree at the South Lawn after the historic nearly 200-year-old magnolia tree was deemed to be in poor condition and a safety hazard. He used a golden shovel to place dirt for the new 12-year-old sapling that is said to be a descendant of the original Jackson Magnolia.
Daily Tribune
10-04-2025
- Politics
- Daily Tribune
Trump plants 'MAGAnolia' to replace 200-year-old tree
US President Donald Trump planted a new sapling on Tuesday to replace a nearly 200-year-old tree at the White House -- dubbing it a "MAGAnolia" after his "Make America Great Again" slogan. The historic "Jackson Magnolia", believed to have been planted by president Andrew Jackson in the 19th century, was chopped down for safety reasons on Monday. The tree had shaded the White House's South Portico for the majority of US presidencies. But it had been in bad shape since a small plane landed on the South Lawn and crashed into it in 1994, killing the pilot. The White House said in a post on X that Trump had "planted a new MAGAnolia sapling at the White House -- a direct descendant of the historic "Jackson Magnolia."' Reporters were not given access to the planting ceremony but the White House posted a video on social media of Trump digging into the ground with a gold-plated shovel and posing with a gardener. The new, 12-year-old sapling is descended from the original tree which, according to tradition, Jackson planted to honor his wife, who died just before his swearing-in in 1829. The old tree was itself purportedly a sapling brought from his home in Tennessee. The tree was the oldest on the White House grounds, according to the National Park Service, which notes that starting in the 1870s most presidents began planting their own commemorative trees. " The bad news is that everything must come to an end," Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform in March as he announced that the tree would have to be chopped down. He said the magnolia was "in terrible condition, a very dangerous safety hazard, at the White House Entrance, no less, and must now be removed." Trump added that some of its wood would be preserved "and may be used for other high and noble purposes." A report by arborists said the tree could cause harm because of a "risk of structural failure." The White House gardens already made headlines this year when Trump said he was planning to pave over the grass of the famed Rose Garden, to give it the patio-like feel of his Mara-Lago estate in Florida.
