In 2023, President Joe Biden and his family received various gifts from international leaders, totaling tens of thousands of dollars, as detailed in the State Department’s annual report disclosed on Thursday. Among these gifts, the most extravagant was a diamond valued at $20,000, presented to first lady Jill Biden by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The 7.5-carat diamond stood out as the priciest gift to the first family within the year. In addition to this dazzling gem, Jill Biden also received a brooch worth $14,063 from Ukraine’s ambassador to the United States, as well as a bracelet, brooch, and photo album collectively valued at $4,510 from Egypt’s president and first lady.
President Biden, too, was the recipient of several noteworthy gifts. These included a commemorative photo album worth $7,100 from South Korea’s recently ousted President Suk Yeol Yoon, a sculpture of Mongolian warriors valued at $3,495 from the Mongolian prime minister, a $3,300 silver bowl from the sultan of Brunei, a $3,160 sterling silver tray from Israel’s president, and a collage estimated at $2,400 from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
In adherence to federal regulations, officials in the executive branch must declare gifts exceeding a value of $480 that they receive from foreign dignitaries. While many of the gifts that surpass this limit are somewhat modest, the pricier items are generally either transferred to the National Archives or displayed officially, although there are exceptions.
According to a document from the State Department, the $20,000 diamond will remain in the White House East Wing for official purposes, while the other gifts received by the president and first lady have been sent to the National Archives. Vanessa Valdivia, a spokesperson for Jill Biden, mentioned that the diamond would also be transferred to the archives upon leaving office, but did not specify its current use.
Oksana Markarova, Ukraine’s ambassador, stated on Facebook that the brooch Jill Biden received was crafted by a Ukrainian designer using materials from a Russian rocket, emphasizing that its value lies more in its symbolism than in monetary worth. The spokesperson for the embassy, Halyna Yusypiuk, noted that U.S. officials provided the valuation.
Individuals have the opportunity to buy the gifts they receive from the government at market value; however, this is uncommon, especially with items of high value.
The State Department’s Office of Protocol, responsible for compiling the annual gift list, indicated that numerous CIA staff members reported receiving luxurious gifts such as watches, perfume, and jewelry, yet nearly all of these items were destroyed. Collectively, the destroyed gifts were valued at over $132,000.
CIA Director William Burns received an astrograph (a telescope and astrological camera) costing $18,000 from a source whose identity remains classified, which is slated for transfer to the General Services Administration. However, Burns reported purging an $11,000 Omega watch, with numerous colleagues doing the same with their high-end timepieces.
While the report did not disclose the identities of CIA employees below the director’s level who reported receiving gifts, one documented an Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra watch, a ladies’ Omega Constellation watch, a diamond necklace, a bracelet, earrings, and a ring, amounting to $65,100 in value. All of these were destroyed as per the report, along with a $30,000 women’s jewelry set consisting of a necklace, bracelet, ring, and earrings from a Libyan jeweler received by another CIA staff member.
Additionally, another CIA employee noted the reception of a men’s Yacht Master II Rolex watch valued at $18,700, while another received a lady’s Rolex Oyster Datejust watch worth $12,500, alongside a $7,450 Rolex Air King. All of these timepieces were also destroyed. One other employee reported receiving a luxurious collection of Amouage perfume valued at $10,670; the fate of these items is still pending.
