French President Emmanuel Macron has promised Donald Trump a new oak tree after the last one he gifted him died.
The pair were photographed symbolically planting the oak sapling tree together when the French leader visited the White House last year.
The move was a reflection of the special relationship between the United States and France.
The tree, which was put in quarantine over fears parasites on the tree could spread to others on the White House property, has since died.
The announcement prompted a flurry of social media posts comparing its death to the difficult relationship the two leaders have had since that visit.
Macron is at odds over the American's unilateralist approach to trade, climate change and a nuclear deal with Iran.
At the time of planting the tree, President Macron tweeted that it was a "reminder" of "these ties that bind us".
But he moved to downplay such comments as he spoke on Wednesday.
"We will send him another, it is not a tragedy," he told Macron told Switzerland's RTS network on the sidelines of an International Labour Organisation meeting in Geneva.
"Do not see symbols where there are none, the symbol was to plant it together."
The tree was from Belleau Wood in France where almost 2,000 American soldiers died in a World War One battle.
It had been dug up not long after it was ceremonially planted, with the presidents and their wives photographed placing it in the ground in April 2018.
"It turns out that this oak was put in quarantine for American sanitary reasons and the poor thing did not survive," President Macron said.
"I'll send another oak because I think the US Marines and the friendship for freedom between our peoples is well worth it."
It is unclear exactly when the tree died, though it was confirmed over the weekend.
Additional reporting by agencies.
