Tree planted by Donald Trump and Emmanuel Macron on White House lawn mysteriously disappears

The oak sapling – a gift from the French President to the US leader – lasted less than five days

Yellowing grass now marks the spot where the oak sapling was planted (REUTERS/Yuri Gripas)

The tree planted by Donald Trump and Emmanuel Macron to mark the strong ties between the US and France has mysteriously disappeared.

Photos of the area of White House lawn where the oak sapling was placed in a ceremony last week now show only a patch of yellowing grass.

The French President had tweeted a video of himself and the US President shovelling soil around the tree on Monday during the French leader's visit to Washington.

Mr Macron said the sapling came from Belleau Wood, the site of a World War I battle during which nearly 2,000 US soldiers were killed.

He described it as his gift to Mr Trump to act as "a reminder at the White House of these ties that bind us."

Donald Trump and Emmanuel Macron plant the tree watched by the US first lady Melania (JIM WATSON/AFP/Getty Images) (AFP)

Images of the ceremonial planting became the subject of a series of internet memes suggesting it was a Sopranos episode or a Pink Floyd album cover.

The tree's disappearance a few days later sparked speculation that it had been ripped out by Mr Trump in anger at the French leader's speech to Congress.

Although the White House has refused to comment, it has been reported that the tree was removed only temporarily because of quarantine rules imposed by US Customs on the importation of plants and seeds.