WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden and his household got tens of 1000’s of {dollars} in items from international leaders in 2023, in accordance with an annual accounting printed by the State Department on Thursday, with first lady Jill Biden receiving the one costliest current: a $20,000 diamond from India’s chief.
The 7.5-carat diamond from Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was simply the most expensive reward introduced to any member of the primary household in 2023, though she additionally acquired 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 woman of Egypt.
The U.S. president himself acquired quite a lot of costly presents, together with a commemorative photograph 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 items they obtain from international leaders and counterparts which have an estimated worth of greater than $480. Many of the items that meet that threshold are comparatively modest, and the costlier ones are sometimes — 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 accordance with a State Department document, whereas the opposite items to the president and first woman have been despatched to the archives.
Vanessa Valdivia, a spokesperson for Jill Biden, mentioned the diamond will probably be turned over to the archives after they depart workplace. She didn’t say what it was getting used for.
Recipients even have the choice to buy the reward from the U.S. authorities at its market worth, though that’s uncommon, notably with high-end gadgets.
According to the State Department’s Office of Protocol, which compiles the record that will probably be printed in Friday’s version of the Federal Register, a number of staff of the CIA reported receiving lavish items of watches, fragrance and jewellery, almost all of which have been destroyed. Of the items destroyed, they have been price greater than $132,000 mixed.
CIA Director William Burns acquired a $18,000 astrograph, which is a telescope and astrological digital camera, from a international 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 staff who reported items usually are not recognized, however one in every of 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 accordance 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 acquired 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 woman’s Rolex Oyster Datejust watch valued at $12,500, and one different acquired a $7,450 Rolex Air King watch. All three of the watches have been destroyed, in accordance with the record.
Another worker reported receiving a set of dear Amouage Perfume price $10,670, the destruction of which is pending, the report says.
