Among the countless gifts US President Joe Biden and his family received from foreign leaders in 2023 is a whopping $20,000 diamond, the single most expensive present which first lady Jill Biden got from Indian prime minister Narendra Modi.
According to the annual accounting report recently published by the State Department, the 7.5-carat diamond turned out to be the most expensive item gifted to any member of the first family in 2023, The Associated Press reported.
While the big stone stood out, it wasn’t the only gift Jill received. She also got a brooch worth $14,063 from the Ukranian ambassador to the United States and a bracelet, brooch and photo album worth $4,510 from the president and first lady of Egypt.
In fact, President Biden himself received several costly gifts, which included a $7,100 worth commemorative photo album from South Korea’s recently impeached president Suk Yeol Yoon.
He was also presented a $3,495 statue of Mongolian warriors from the prime minister of Mongolia, a silver bowl worth $3,300 from the sultan of Brunei, a $3,160 sterling silver tray from the Israeli president and a collage worth $2,400 from Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
According to US federal laws, executive branch officials are required to declare gifts received from foreign leaders and counterparts that have an estimated value higher than $480.
Diamond to be handed over to archives
While majority of the gifts that touch this value ceiling are comparatively modest, the most expensive ones, though not always, are transferred to the National Archives or put on official displays, AP reported.
Notably, the $20,000 diamond presented by the Indian PM was retained for official use in the White House East Wing, while the other gifts were sent to the archives, the State Department document showed.
The diamond will be turned over to the archives once Biden leaves the office later this month, Vanessa Valdivia, a spokesperson for Jill Biden was cited as saying. However, she did not specify what the diamond was being used for so far.
Though rarely used, there is also an option for the gift recipients to purchase the gifts the from the US government at its market value.
Several CIA officials also reported receiving lavish presents, including watches, perfume and jewelry, almost all of which were destroyed, the news agency reported citing State Department’s Office of Protocol. These destroyed gifts combined were worth more than $132,000.
A foreign source, whose identity is classified, gifted a $18,000 astrograph to CIA director William Burns. An astrograph is a telescope and astrological camera and this gift will be moved to the General Services Administration. Additionally, Burns reported receiving and destroying an Omega watch worth $11,000, an act that several others also did with their expensive timepieces.
Below the director’s rank, other CIA employees who reported receiving gifts are not identified. But AP reported that these include an Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra watch, a ladies Omega Constellation watch, a diamond necklace, earring bracelet, and a ring that together were worth $65,100.
According to the Office of Protocol report, all these gifts were destroyed along with a $30,000 women’s jewelry set a CIA employee received from a Libyan jeweler, AI Grew. The set consisted of a necklace, bracelet, ring and earrings.
Another employee of the federal agency was gifted a men’s Yacht Master II Rolex Oyster Perpetual watch valued at $18,700, while a separate record reported getting a women’s Rolex Oyster Datejust watch worth $12,500. One other person received a Rolex Air King timepiece worth $7,450. The State Department’s list said that all the three watches were destroyed.
A collection of luxury product, Amouage Perfume, worth $10,670 was also received by an employee. But that gift is yet to be destroyed, AP reported citing the State Department’s list.
(with AP inputs)
