Foreign leaders give Biden family expensive jewelry and gifts

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Foreign leaders showered the Biden family with extravagant gifts throughout 2023, as revealed in the State Department’s annual report released Thursday. Among the most notable presents was an impressive 7.5-carat diamond valued at $20,000, presented to First Lady Jill Biden by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The First Lady’s collection of diplomatic gifts also included a $14,063 brooch from Ukraine’s ambassador to the United States, along with a combination of jewelry items and a photo album worth $4,510 from Egypt’s presidential couple.

📢 Jill Biden gets the priciest gift from a foreign leader in 2023 — a $20,000 diamond

President Joe Biden and his family were given tens of thousands of dollars in gifts from foreign leaders in 2023, according to an annual accounting published by the State Department on… pic.twitter.com/x6Uvducmn6

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President Biden himself received several valuable presents from world leaders. These included a commemorative photo collection from South Korea’s President Suk Yeol Yoon valued at $7,100, a $3,495 Mongolian warrior statue, a silver bowl worth $3,300 from Brunei’s sultan, a sterling silver tray from Israel’s president valued at $3,160, and a $2,400 collage from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Under federal regulations, executive branch officials must report any gifts from foreign counterparts exceeding $480 in value. While many such gifts are modest, more valuable items typically end up in the National Archives or on display.

The First Lady’s diamond is currently housed in the White House East Wing for official purposes, while other presidential gifts have been transferred to the archives. According to Vanessa Valdivia, the First Lady’s spokesperson, the diamond will join the archives collection after the administration concludes, though its current use remains undisclosed.

The State Department’s Office of Protocol’s report, scheduled for publication in Friday’s Federal Register, also revealed substantial gifts to CIA personnel. Many of these items, particularly expensive watches and jewelry, were subsequently destroyed.

STORY | Jill Biden receives USD 20,000 diamond from PM Modi, priciest gift from any foreign leader in 2023

READ: https://t.co/7O2aDxW7lz pic.twitter.com/KXRDYfw1ap

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) January 3, 2025

CIA Director William Burns received an $18,000 astrograph – a specialized astronomical instrument – from an unnamed foreign source. While this item is being transferred to the General Services Administration, Burns also reported destroying an $11,000 Omega timepiece.

Other CIA employees, whose identities remain confidential, reported receiving and destroying various luxury items. One staff member received a collection of Omega watches and diamond jewelry valued at $65,100, while another was given a Libyan jewelry set worth $30,000. Additional destroyed items included various Rolex watches ranging from $7,450 to $18,700, and a pending destruction of Amouage perfume valued at $10,670.

Recipients have the option to purchase gifts at market value, though this rarely occurs with high-end items. The combined value of destroyed gifts exceeded $132,000.