Mrs. Trump Plants Oak with Presidential Descendants

This photograph of First Lady Melania Trump was taken by Matthew D'Agostino at a tree planting ceremony on August 27, 2018. Mrs. Trump was on hand that day to plant a tree on the South Lawn of the White House Grounds along with a small group of presidential descendants in attendance. Two descendants asked to plant the sapling with Trump were Mary Jean Eisenhower, granddaughter of President Dwight D. Eisenhower and First Lady Mamie Eisenhower, and Richard Emory Gatchell, Jr., a 5th generation descendant of President James Monroe. The two descendants were symbolic participants: the sapling planted came from the Eisenhower oak tree near the Jacqueline Kennedy Garden and 2018 marked the 200th anniversary of President Monroe's return to the White House following the burning of the White House. The White House was burned by British forces in 1814, during the War of 1812. The gathering of presidential descendants at the White House was part of the Presidential Sites Summit. The Summit was hosted by the White House Historical Association and was held in Washington, D.C. from August 27-30.