International Desk

Among the countless gifts US President Joe Biden and his family received from foreign leaders in 2023 is a whopping $20,000 diamond, the single most expensive present which first lady Jill Biden got from Indian prime minister Narendra Modi, reports Hindustan Times.

According to the annual accounting report recently published by the State Department, the 7.5-carat diamond turned out to be the most expensive item gifted to any member of the first family in 2023, The Associated Press reported.

While the big stone stood out, it wasn't the only gift Jill received. She also got a brooch worth $14,063 from the Ukranian ambassador to the United States and a bracelet, brooch and photo album worth $4,510 from the president and first lady of Egypt.

In fact, President Biden himself received several costly gifts, which included a $7,100 worth commemorative photo album from South Korea's recently impeached president Suk Yeol Yoon.

He was also presented a $3,495 statue of Mongolian warriors from the prime minister of Mongolia, a silver bowl worth $3,300 from the sultan of Brunei, a $3,160 sterling silver tray from the Israeli president and a collage worth $2,400 from Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

According to US federal laws, executive branch officials are required to declare gifts received from foreign leaders and counterparts that have an estimated value higher than $480.

Diamond to be handed over to archives

While the majority of the gifts that touch this value ceiling are comparatively modest, the most expensive ones, though not always, are transferred to the National Archives or put on official displays, AP reported.

Notably, the $20,000 diamond presented by the Indian PM was retained for official use in the White House East Wing, while the other gifts were sent to the archives, the State Department document showed.

The diamond will be turned over to the archives once Biden leaves the office later this month, Vanessa Valdivia, a spokesperson for Jill Biden was cited as saying. However, she did not specify what the diamond was being used for so far.

Though rarely used, there is also an option for the gift recipients to purchase the gifts from the US government at its market value.

Several CIA officials also reported receiving lavish presents, including watches, perfume and jewelry, almost all of which were destroyed, the news agency reported citing the State Department’s Office of Protocol. These destroyed gifts combined were worth more than $132,000.