Reports of US President Donald Trump accepting a $400 million jet from Qatar are going viral all over the media, raising concerns of ethics and legality. The president will be visiting Qatar this week and is expected to receive a super luxury Boeing 747-8 jumbo jet from the royal family of Qatar as a gift. News reports have cited sources familiar with the Trump administration's plans, that the President will be using the jet as the New Air Force One for presidential travel until he leaves office, post which it will be transferred to the Trump presidential library foundation.
But did you know that a $400 million jet is not the only expensive gift received by an American President? While it certainly tops the list, below are 5 other expensive gifts received by US Presidents.
$63 million Pandas
In 1972, President Richard Nixon travelled to China alongside his wife, Patricia. The first lady mentioned her love of giant pandas to Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai, who then gifted the state two pandas- Hsing-Hsing (male) and Ling-Ling (female). Both the pandas were transferred to the National Zoo in Washington, D.C., where they lived till 1999 and 1992, respectively.
$1.3 million Jewellery
It seems late King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud of Saudi Arabia was the biggest fan of the Obama clan as he gifted the entire family jewels and gifts worth $1.3 million as per the State Department's register of gifts. To Barack Obama, the king gifted a gold and silver watch worth $18,240, a gold-plated brass replica of the Makkah clock tower worth $57,000 and a white gold watch worth $67,000. To Michelle Obama, the king bestowed a diamond and emerald jewellery set worth $560,000 and a diamond and pearl jewellery set worth $570,000. The couple's daughters Sasha and Mia received a diamond and emerald jewellery set and a diamond and ruby jewellery set, with a combined worth of $80,000. Combining these with the gifts the family received from the Prince Miteb bin Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud, which included eight robes, bottles of perfume and more, the estimated value mounted to $1,352,240.
$70,000 Jewellery Set
The $70,000 jewellery set that First Lady Michelle Obama received from the Queen of Brunei, Queen Saleha, in 2013, is the most expensive gift ever received by a First Lady. The set included a necklace, earrings, and a ring crafted from white gold and adorned with diamonds and yellow sapphires.
$45,000 Jewel-covered book of paintings
President Putin presented to the American President George W. Bush a jewel-encrusted book of watercolour paintings featuring all the American presidents. The book was adorned with precious stones and presented in a box that had an amber mosaic top; however, the most unique part about it, along with the jewels, was the fact that the paintings had been made by Bush himself.
$28,800 Silk Carpets
Joe Biden, during his term as the American President, has received and accepted some of the most expensive gifts ever presented to American Presidents. Another gift received by him and the then First Lady Jill Biden was silk carpets worth $28,000, gifted to the couple by the then Afghanistan president Mohammed Ashraf Ghani. While the carpet received by Joe was valued at $9,600, the one received by Jill from the Afghan leader's wife Rula Ghani, was for a whopping $19,200.
$12,000 Writing Set
In 2021, Russian President Vladimir Putin gifted Joe Biden a Kholuy Lacquer miniature workshop desk writing set and pen, which was valued at $12,000 according to the State Department. The gift was given at the 2021 Russia-United States State Summit held in Geneva, Switzerland. The expensive gift was later transferred to the National Archives after Biden accepted it on the grounds that not doing so would be an embarrassment to both countries.
But did you know that a $400 million jet is not the only expensive gift received by an American President? While it certainly tops the list, below are 5 other expensive gifts received by US Presidents.
$63 million Pandas
In 1972, President Richard Nixon travelled to China alongside his wife, Patricia. The first lady mentioned her love of giant pandas to Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai, who then gifted the state two pandas- Hsing-Hsing (male) and Ling-Ling (female). Both the pandas were transferred to the National Zoo in Washington, D.C., where they lived till 1999 and 1992, respectively.
$1.3 million Jewellery
It seems late King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud of Saudi Arabia was the biggest fan of the Obama clan as he gifted the entire family jewels and gifts worth $1.3 million as per the State Department's register of gifts. To Barack Obama, the king gifted a gold and silver watch worth $18,240, a gold-plated brass replica of the Makkah clock tower worth $57,000 and a white gold watch worth $67,000. To Michelle Obama, the king bestowed a diamond and emerald jewellery set worth $560,000 and a diamond and pearl jewellery set worth $570,000. The couple's daughters Sasha and Mia received a diamond and emerald jewellery set and a diamond and ruby jewellery set, with a combined worth of $80,000. Combining these with the gifts the family received from the Prince Miteb bin Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud, which included eight robes, bottles of perfume and more, the estimated value mounted to $1,352,240.
$70,000 Jewellery Set
The $70,000 jewellery set that First Lady Michelle Obama received from the Queen of Brunei, Queen Saleha, in 2013, is the most expensive gift ever received by a First Lady. The set included a necklace, earrings, and a ring crafted from white gold and adorned with diamonds and yellow sapphires.
$45,000 Jewel-covered book of paintings
President Putin presented to the American President George W. Bush a jewel-encrusted book of watercolour paintings featuring all the American presidents. The book was adorned with precious stones and presented in a box that had an amber mosaic top; however, the most unique part about it, along with the jewels, was the fact that the paintings had been made by Bush himself.
$28,800 Silk Carpets
Joe Biden, during his term as the American President, has received and accepted some of the most expensive gifts ever presented to American Presidents. Another gift received by him and the then First Lady Jill Biden was silk carpets worth $28,000, gifted to the couple by the then Afghanistan president Mohammed Ashraf Ghani. While the carpet received by Joe was valued at $9,600, the one received by Jill from the Afghan leader's wife Rula Ghani, was for a whopping $19,200.
$12,000 Writing Set
In 2021, Russian President Vladimir Putin gifted Joe Biden a Kholuy Lacquer miniature workshop desk writing set and pen, which was valued at $12,000 according to the State Department. The gift was given at the 2021 Russia-United States State Summit held in Geneva, Switzerland. The expensive gift was later transferred to the National Archives after Biden accepted it on the grounds that not doing so would be an embarrassment to both countries.
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