Costliest Gift Jill Biden Received Was From PM Modi, But She Won't Use It — Here's Why
President Biden and his family received various gifts from foreign leaders in 2023, with the most expensive being a $20,000 diamond from India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
US President Joe Biden and his family received tens of thousands of dollars in gifts from foreign leaders in 2023, according to an annual accounting published by the state department on January 2.
As per the report, the first lady, Jill Biden, received the single most expensive present, i.e., a $20,000 diamond from India’s leader.
Gifted by the Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi, the 7.5-carat diamond was the costliest gift to any member of the first family. Apart from receiving the diamond, Jill Biden also received a brooch valued at $14,063 from the Ukrainian ambassador to the US and a bracelet, brooch and photograph album worth $4,510 from the president and first lady of Egypt.
As reported by The Guardian, the U.S. president also received a number of expensive presents. This includes a commemorative photo album valued at $7,100 from South Korea’s recently impeached President Suk Yeol Yoon and a $3,495 statue of Mongolian warriors from the Mongolian prime minister. President Biden also received a $3,300 silver bowl from the sultan of Brunei, a $3,160 sterling silver tray from the president of Israel, and a collage worth $2,400 from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Under Federal Law, the executive branch officials must report gifts worth over $480 from foreign leaders. According to a state department document, the $20,000 diamond was retained for official use in the White House East Wing, while the other gifts to the president and first lady were sent to the archives.
As per the state department’s office of protocol, several employees of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) reportedly received expensive gifts in terms of watches, perfume and jewelry. However, nearly all of the gifts were destroyed. Of the gifts destroyed, they were worth more than $132,000 combined.
As per the details, the CIA director, William Burns, received a $18,000 astrograph, which is a telescope and astrological camera, from an foreign source whose identity is classified, and is being transferred to the General Services Administration. But Burns reported receiving and destroying an $11,000 Omega watch, while numerous others did the same with luxury timepieces.
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