In 2023, President Joe Biden and his family received a significant number of gifts from foreign leaders, as reported by the State Department. The most expensive gift was a 7.5-carat diamond given to First Lady Jill Biden by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, valued at $20,000. Additionally, she received a brooch worth $14,063 from the Ukrainian ambassador and a bracelet, brooch, and photograph album totaling $4,510 from the president and first lady of Egypt.
President Biden himself received several costly presents, including a $7,100 commemorative photo album from South Korea's President, a $3,495 statue of Mongolian warriors, a $3,300 silver bowl from the sultan of Brunei, a $3,160 sterling silver tray from the president of Israel, and a $2,400 collage from the Ukrainian President.
Under federal law, executive branch officials must disclose gifts from foreign leaders exceeding $480. While many gifts are modest, more expensive items are usually transferred to the National Archives or displayed officially. The $20,000 diamond was retained for White House East Wing use, while other gifts to the first family were sent to the archives.
Recipients have the option to purchase gifts from the government at market value, although this is uncommon for high-end items. The State Department's Office of Protocol revealed that CIA employees reported receiving lavish gifts, with most being destroyed. CIA Director William Burns received an $18,000 astrograph, while other employees reported receiving and destroying luxury watches and jewelry.
One employee received a $65,100 set of jewelry, another got a $30,000 women's jewelry set, and others received Rolex watches valued at thousands of dollars each. The destruction of these gifts was confirmed, with some pending destruction for a collection of expensive perfume.
