WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden and his household got tens of hundreds of {dollars} in presents from overseas leaders in 2023, in keeping with an annual accounting printed by the State Department on Thursday, with first girl Jill Biden receiving the only costliest current: a $20,000 diamond from India’s chief.
The 7.5-carat diamond from Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was simply the costliest present introduced to any member of the primary household in 2023, though she additionally obtained a brooch valued at $14,063 from the Ukrainian ambassador to the United States and a bracelet, brooch and {photograph} album price $4,510 from the president and first girl of Egypt.
The U.S. president himself obtained various costly presents, together with a commemorative picture album valued at $7,100 from South Korea’s lately impeached President Suk Yeol Yoon, a $3,495 statue of Mongolian warriors from the Mongolian prime minister, a $3,300 silver bowl from the sultan of Brunei, a $3,160 sterling silver tray from the president of Israel, and a collage price $2,400 from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Federal regulation requires govt department officers to declare presents they obtain from overseas leaders and counterparts which have an estimated worth of greater than $480. Many of the presents that meet that threshold are comparatively modest, and the dearer ones are usually — however not at all times — transferred to the National Archives or placed on official shows.
The $20,000 diamond was retained for official use within the White House East Wing, in keeping with a State Department doc, whereas the opposite presents to the president and first girl have been despatched to the archives.
Vanessa Valdivia, a spokesperson for Jill Biden, mentioned the diamond shall be turned over to the archives after they go away workplace. She didn’t say what it was getting used for.
Recipients even have the choice to buy the present from the U.S. authorities at its market worth, though that’s uncommon, significantly with high-end objects.
According to the State Department’s Office of Protocol, which compiles the checklist that shall be printed in Friday’s version of the Federal Register, a number of workers of the CIA reported receiving lavish presents of watches, fragrance and jewellery, practically all of which have been destroyed. Of the presents destroyed, they have been price greater than $132,000 mixed.
CIA Director William Burns obtained a $18,000 astrograph, which is a telescope and astrological digital camera, from a overseas supply whose identification is classed. That is being transferred to the General Services Administration. But Burns reported receiving and destroying an $11,000 Omega watch, whereas quite a few others did the identical with luxurious timepieces.
Below the rank of director, the CIA workers who reported presents are usually not recognized, however one among them logged an Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra watch, a girls Omega Constellation watch, a diamond necklace, earring bracelet, and a hoop that have been valued collectively at $65,100.
All of these have been destroyed, in keeping with the report, as was a $30,000 girls’s jewellery set from the Libyan jeweler Al Grew consisting of a necklace, bracelet, ring and earrings obtained by one other CIA worker.
Another CIA worker reported receiving a males’s Yacht Master II Rolex Oyster Perpetual watch price $18,700, one other reported getting a girl’s Rolex Oyster Datejust watch valued at $12,500, and one different obtained a $7,450 Rolex Air King watch. All three of the watches have been destroyed, in keeping with the checklist.
Another worker reported receiving a group of expensive Amouage Perfume price $10,670, the destruction of which is pending, the report says.