In 2023, US President Joe Biden and his his wife Jill Biden received numerous gifts from foreign leaders, including a $20,000 diamond—the most valuable item—presented to First Lady Jill Biden by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. According to the State Department’s annual report, the 7.5-carat diamond was the priciest gift given to any member of the first family that year, as reported by the Press.
Beyond the diamond, Jill Biden received other significant gifts, such as a $14,063 brooch from Ukraine’s ambassador to the US and a bracelet, brooch, and photo album worth $4,510 from Egypt’s president and first lady.
President Biden was also presented with high-value items, including a $7,100 commemorative photo album from South Korea’s recently impeached president, Suk Yeol Yoon; a $3,495 statue of Mongolian warriors from Mongolia’s prime minister; a $3,300 silver bowl from Brunei’s sultan; a $3,160 sterling silver tray from Israel’s president; and a $2,400 collage from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Under US federal law, executive branch officials must declare gifts from foreign leaders valued at over $480. While most such gifts are modest, the most expensive ones are often transferred to the National Archives or displayed officially. The $20,000 diamond from Modi, however, was retained for official use in the White House East Wing. Jill Biden’s spokesperson, Vanessa Valdivia, stated that the diamond would be transferred to the archives after Biden leaves office, though its current use was not specified.
Recipients of such gifts have the option to purchase them at market value, though this rarely happens. CIA officials also reported receiving expensive items, including jewelry, watches, and perfumes, most of which were destroyed. These gifts, valued at over $132,000 collectively, included an $18,000 astrograph given to CIA Director William Burns, which is set to be transferred to the General Services Administration. Burns also destroyed an $11,000 Omega watch.
Other unidentified CIA employees received luxury items like a $30,000 women’s jewelry set, various Rolex watches, and Amouage perfumes worth $10,670. According to the State Department, most of these gifts were destroyed, as required by protocol.
