Holding the prestigious title of President of a nation isn’t an easy job. As with power comes commitment and constant media scrutiny. However, the brighter side of the job is that beyond the responsibilities and pressure come amazing privileges attached to the position. While most of the luxuries are given by the government, which comes as part and parcel of the role, there are other additional extravagant gestures that they also enjoy.
These lavish gestures, or, in simple terms, gifts, are often exchanged between a fellow leader of a nation or another significant political party or their members. Some are given as a token of appreciation or as a form of negotiation. For instance, President Donald Trump is reportedly willing to accept a luxury Boeing 747-8 jumbo jet as a gift from the ruling family of Qatar during his trip to the Middle East this week.
As per a report, this jet would be used as the President’s aircraft since the Boeing 747 and Air Force One are presently being modified, both of which are over 30 years old. New replacements—VC-25Bs—are being made.
Furthermore, while this gift would definitely be considered a grand gesture by the Qatari royals, Trump is not the first president to receive such an over-the-top gift; several American leaders are also part of the list.
For instance, in 1972, President Richard Nixon visited China with his wife, Pat Nixon. Upon arrival, the former first lady had expressed her love for giant pandas to Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai. Surprisingly, two giant pandas named Hsing-Hsing and Ling Ling, which happen to be a rare species, were transferred to the National Zoo in Washington, D.C.
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Similarly, the late King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud of Saudi Arabia, who happened to be a big fan of former president Barack Obama and his family (we don’t blame him; who does not like Obama?), gifted them a complete set of jewels and gifts worth $1.3 million, as per the State Department.
The gifts included lavish items like a gold and silver watch worth $18,240 and a customized gold-plated brass replica of the tower in Mecca (the holy shrine of the Muslims). Obama’s daughters were also gifted gold and ruby jewelry sets. Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin also gifted the 43rd president of America, George W. Bush, a jewel-encrusted book of watercolor paintings featuring all the presidents of America.
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It was gifted in a special box that had an amber mosaic top, which was designed with beautiful stones on top. The best part? Former President Bush himself made the painting in the book. Consequently, in 2021, Putin also gifted Biden a Kholuy Lacquer miniature workshop desk writing set and pen worth $12,000. The duo attended the Russia-United States summit held in Geneva, Switzerland.
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As per media reports, the treasured gift was later transferred to the National Archives. In addition, Joe Biden and his wife, Jill, were also presented with silk carpets worth $28,000 by then-Afghanistan president Mohammed Ashraf Ghani. Lastly, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi also gifted Jill Biden a $20,000 diamond in 2023.
If you had to choose one gift out of all, which one would you choose, and why?
