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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 he released State Department on Thursday, with the first lady Jill Biden receiving the single most expensive gift: a $20,000 diamond from an Indian leader.
7.5 carat diamond from Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was easily the most expensive gift given to any member of the first family in 2023, although she received a brooch worth $14,063 from the Ukrainian ambassador to the United States and a bracelet, brooch and photo album worth $4,510 from 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 recently impeached South Korean President Suk Yeol Yoon, a statue of Mongolian warriors worth $3,495 from the Mongolian prime minister, a silver bowl worth $3,300 from the Sultan of Brunei, a $3,160 silver tray from the President of Israel and a $2,400 collage of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy.
Federal law requires executive branch officials to report gifts they receive from foreign leaders and colleagues with an estimated value of more than $480. Many of the gifts that meet that threshold are relatively modest, and the more expensive ones are usually — but not always — transferred to the National Archives or put on official exhibitions.
The $20,000 diamond was kept for official use in the East Wing of the White House, a State Department document said, while other gifts to the president and first lady were sent to the archives. The first lady’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the use of the diamond.
Recipients also have the option of purchasing a gift from the US government at market value, although this is rare, especially for high-end items.
According to the State Department’s Office of Protocol, which is compiling the list to be published in Friday’s edition of the Federal Register, several CIA officers reported receiving lavish gifts of watches, perfume and jewelry, almost all of which were destroyed. Of the destroyed gifts, they were worth a total of more than $132,000.
CIA Director William Burns received an $18,000 astrograph, which is a telescope and astrological camera, from a foreign source whose identity is secret. This is transferred to the Directorate of General Services. But Burns reported receiving and destroying an $11,000 Omega watch, while numerous others did the same with luxury watches.
Below the rank of director, the CIA employees who reported the gifts were not identified, but one noted an Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra watch, an Omega Constellation women’s watch, a diamond necklace, a bracelet with earrings, and a ring valued at a combined $65,100. .
All of them were destroyed, according to the report, as was a $30,000 set of women’s jewelry from Libyan jeweler Al Grew consisting of a necklace, bracelet, ring and earrings that had been 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 Rolex Air watch King from $7,450. According to the list, all three watches were destroyed.
Another employee reported receiving a collection of expensive Amouage perfume valued at $10,670, pending destruction, the report said.