$20K Diamond from India's Modi Tops Biden's 2023 Gift List

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JAN 3

Above: US Pres. Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden at the White House on Jan. 2, 2025. Image copyright: CHRIS KLEPONIS/Contributor/AFP via Getty Imagesstory last updated JAN 4

The Facts

The US Dept. of State's annual accounting has revealed that First Lady Jill Biden received a 7.5-carat diamond valued at $20K from Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, marking the most expensive gift to the first family in 2023.
Federal law mandates executive branch officials to declare gifts from foreign leaders valued above $480, with expensive items typically transferred to the National Archives or displayed officially.
Pres. Joe Biden received multiple valuable gifts, including a $7.1K photo album from South Korea's former Pres. Yoon Suk Yeol and a $2.4K collage from Ukraine's Pres. Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

The Spin

Narrative A

So many foreign entities giving large amounts of money and gifts to the Biden family raises concerns about potential conflicts of interest and favoritism, despite legal requirements for declaration and proper disposal of such items.

CNN Newsweek

Narrative B

This gift-giving tradition demonstrates strengthening diplomatic ties between nations, particularly highlighting India's growing influence and its push to become a global leader in lab-grown diamonds. It also maintains transparency in government gift reporting.

Washington Post