The US Department of State has unveiled its 2023 annual report on foreign gifts, providing insights into the lavish presents received by US President Joe Biden, First Lady Jill Biden, and US intelligence officials, some of which are worth millions of dollars.
According to the report, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s gift to U.S. officials tops the list of high-value presents. Prime Minister Modi presented First Lady Jill Biden with an opulent $20,000 diamond, marking a significant gesture in diplomatic relations between the two nations.
In addition to this, Indian officials also presented items crafted in Kashmir to U.S. intelligence officers, further strengthening the ties between the two countries.
The report also highlighted a series of gifts exchanged between top security officials. In one instance, Indian National Security Advisor Ajit Doval gifted U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan two distinct items: a silver statue in January 2023 and a wooden elephant statue in July 2023.
These tokens of diplomacy reflect the ongoing cooperation in matters of national security.
Pakistan, too, featured in the report, with a notable gift exchange between the two countries. In 2022, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif presented a carpet valued at $525 to U.S. President Joe Biden.
This year, Pakistan’s Ambassador to the U.S., Masood Khan, gifted a $600 carpet to Elin Lubacker, U.S. Senior Director for Government Affairs.
The report further sheds light on the extravagant gifts received by U.S. intelligence personnel. In total, U.S. intelligence agency employees were recipients of gifts worth $132,000 in 2023. CIA Director William Burns was gifted an $18,000 telescope camera, while a Libyan businessman presented a $30,000 jewelry gift to one U.S. intelligence officer.
Under U.S. law, gifts valued over $480 must be reported, with any significant or historically important gifts being transferred to the National Archives or the General Services Administration for safekeeping.
