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The 7.5-carat diamond from Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, valued at $20,000, was easily the most costly gift presented to Biden family in 2023.
PM Modi with US President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill BIden | AP Photo/File
The single most expensive gift given to outgoing US President Joe Biden and his family in 2023 was a diamond presented by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to First Lady Jill Biden during his state visit to the White House.
The 7.5-carat diamond from Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, valued at $20,000, was easily the most costly gift presented to any member of the first family in 2023.
While India’s gift to the US First Lady stood out, it was not the only expensive gift she received in 2023. According to reports, she also received a brooch valued at $14,063 from the Ukrainian ambassador to the United States and a bracelet, brooch and photograph album worth $4,510 from the president and first lady of Egypt.
President Biden also received countless expensive gifts, including a commemorative photo album valued at $7,100 from South Korea’s recently 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 worth $2,400 from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Federal law requires executive branch officials to declare gifts they receive from foreign leaders and counterparts that have an estimated value of more than $480. Many of the gifts that meet that threshold are relatively modest, and the more expensive ones are typically — but not always — transferred to the National Archives or put on official displays.
The $20,000 diamond was retained for official use in the White House East Wing, according to a State Department document, while the other gifts to the president and first lady were sent to the archives.
Vanessa Valdivia, a spokesperson for Jill Biden, said the diamond will be turned over to the archives after they leave office. She did not say what it was being used for.
Recipients also have the option to purchase the gift from the U.S. government at its market value, although that is rare, particularly with high-end items.
According to the State Department’s Office of Protocol, which compiles the list that will be published in Friday’s edition of the Federal Register, several employees of the CIA reported receiving lavish gifts of watches, perfume and jewellery, nearly all of which were destroyed. Of the gifts destroyed, they were worth more than $132,000 combined.
CIA Director William Burns received a $18,000 astrograph, which is a telescope and astrological camera, from a foreign source whose identity is classified. That 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.
Below the rank of director, the CIA employees who reported gifts are not identified, but one of them logged an Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra watch, a ladies Omega Constellation watch, a diamond necklace, an earring bracelet, and a ring that were valued together at $65,100.
All of those were destroyed, according to the report, as was a $30,000 women’s jewellery set from the Libyan jeweller Al Grew consisting of a necklace, bracelet, ring and earrings received by another CIA employee.
Another CIA employee reported receiving a men’s Yacht-Master II Rolex Oyster Perpetual watch worth $18,700, another reported getting a lady’s Rolex Oyster Datejust watch valued at $12,500, and one other got a $7,450 Rolex Air King watch. All three of the watches were destroyed, according to the list.
Another employee reported receiving a collection of pricey Amouage Perfume worth $10,670, the destruction of which is pending, the report says.
(With agency inputs)
