WASHINGTON – President Joe Biden and his family received tens of thousands of dollars in gifts from foreign leaders in 2023, according to an annual accounting released by the State Department on Thursday, with first lady Jill Biden receiving the most expensive gift: $20,000. . diamond of the leader of India.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 7.5-carat diamond was easily the most expensive gift presented to any member of the first family in 2023, although he also received a brooch worth $14,063 from the Ukrainian ambassador to the United States and a bracelet. and a photo album valued at $4,510 of the president and first lady of Egypt.
The US president himself received a number of expensive gifts, including a commemorative photo album worth $7,100 from the recently ousted South Korean president Suk Yeol Yoon, a statue of Mongolian warriors worth $3,495 from the Mongolian prime minister, a $3,300 silver bowl from the Sultan of Brunei. , a sterling silver tray valued at $3,160 from the president of Israel and a collage valued at $2,400 from the president of Ukraine. Volodymyr Zelensky.
Federal law requires executive branch officials to report gifts they receive from foreign leaders and counterparts that have an estimated value of more than $480. Many of the gifts that meet that threshold are relatively modest, and the most expensive ones are often, but not always, transferred to the National Archives or placed on official display.
The $20,000 diamond was retained for official use in the East Wing of the White House, according to a State Department document, while the other gifts to the president and first lady were sent to the archives.
Vanessa Valdivia, a spokeswoman for Jill Biden, said the diamond will be turned over to the archives after they leave office. He didn’t say what it was used for.
Recipients also have the option to purchase the gift from the U.S. government at its market value, although that is rare, particularly when it comes to high-end items.
According to the State Department’s Protocol Office, which compiles the list to be published in Friday’s edition of the Federal Register, several CIA employees reported receiving lavish gifts of watches, perfumes and jewelry, almost all of which were destroyed. Of the gifts destroyed, they were worth more than $132,000 combined.
CIA Director William Burns received an $18,000 astrograph, which is a telescope and astrological camera, from a foreign source whose identity is classified. That is being transferred to the General Services Administration. But Burns reported receiving and destroying an $11,000 Omega watch, while many others did the same with luxury watches.
Below the rank of director, CIA employees who reported gifts are not identified, but one of them recorded an Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra watch, a women’s Omega Constellation watch, a diamond necklace, a bracelet with earrings, and a ring, valued together at $65,100. .
All of them were destroyed, according to the report, as was a $30,000 women’s jewelry set from Libyan jeweler Al Grew that consisted of a necklace, bracelet, ring and earrings received by another CIA employee.
Another CIA employee reported receiving a men’s Yacht Master II Rolex Oyster Perpetual watch valued at $18,700, another reported receiving a women’s Rolex Oyster Datejust watch valued at $12,500, and another received a $7,450 Rolex Air King watch. According to the list, all three watches were destroyed.
Another employee reported receiving a collection of expensive Amouage perfume worth $10,670, the destruction of which is pending, according to the report.
