President Joe Biden gave Russian premier Vladimir Putin the perfect gift at their historic first summit in Geneva, Switzerland— a pair of custom aviator sunglasses made by Randolph USA.
CNN Chief White House correspondent Kaitlan Collins took to Twitter to relay the message.
They're not only fashionable sunglasses, but it’s also Biden’s trademark.
In 2016, Biden told theSkimm that he’s been wearing aviator sunglasses for nearly his whole life. “ My Lord, I’ve Been wearing aviators since I was a freshman in college as a lifeguard,” he told the platform.
It was also noted that his summer as a lifeguard at a pool in Wilmington, Delaware, was a period of his life that he often reflects upon.
Biden gave Putin "a pair of custom Aviators made by Randolph USA," the White House says.
— Kaitlan Collins (@kaitlancollins) June 16, 2021
The pool predominantly served black patronsm and in his memoir, Promises to Keep in 2008, he said that he learned a lot about the realities of racism within the country.
Randolph USA was founded by a former Royal Air Force navigator named Jan Waszkiewicz and machinist Stanley Zaleski who immigrated to the US and has ties to NATO.
"In 1978, Randolph joined forces with the U.S. military to produce the HGU-4/P Aviator designed for fighter pilots. They have since provided the U.S. military and NATO partners with their high-level, durable aviators, manufactured domestically in their Massachusetts factory," said the White House.
The aviators retail for around US$219.00.
Check out some of the reactions about the gift in the wonderful world of Twitter.
Between this and the Boris Bike, Biden’s gift giving is next level. Just pure rich boomer grandpa energy https://t.co/qDsQXNa5aY
— Didymus (@geospagetti) June 16, 2021
Randolph Engineering makes great aviators. Don Draper likes them too. https://t.co/H2KOuxtUop pic.twitter.com/Xo7h8dMhnX
— Kevin Rozell (@Zellyanks) June 16, 2021
I cannot stop laughing … Joe never fails. https://t.co/doXdGfLiYv
— Samsara hates the GQP (@SamsaraSings) June 16, 2021
low key biden('s team) is really good at presents https://t.co/Yf6ZNc2Mti
— NC (@niamhriggins) June 16, 2021
Great shade. https://t.co/8UPtEt7iLc pic.twitter.com/BxYhP1BWzy
— 🇺🇸 𝘗𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘺 𝘗𝘢𝘤𝘬𝘺 🇳🇱 (@pithypacky) June 16, 2021
That's some literal shade, LMAO.. https://t.co/nRs5TXxWyf
— Carmen Watkins (@CarmenWbluewave) June 16, 2021
The gift-giving didn’t stop there on Biden’s end.
He also gave Putin a crystal sculpture of an American bison by the brand Steuben glass of New York. The sculpture is a symbol for Russia’s reintroduction of the European bison which is taking place over the past 20 years.
Full details have not been released about Putin’s meeting with Biden, but in a statement, Putin says that he and Biden progressed on their “shared goals”, such as “reducing the risk of armed conflicts” and “threats of nuclear war.”
Former President Barack Obama didn’t report any gifts from Putin. However, Newsweek reports a US Navy Admiral reported a Lomonosov Russia tea and coffee set that was valued at around $1,000 from the Commander-in-Chief of the Navy of the Russian Federation.
Hopefully, Putin actually likes the gifts and won’t think that there’s some sort of surveillance device embedded in them.
https://t.co/H1SBkcSAZ2 pic.twitter.com/rpyZTWekgV
— Fake Ezzie 💾 Real Mike - Centrist (@fakeezzie) June 16, 2021
