Arab Press

بالشعب و للشعب
Friday, Aug 22, 2025

Revealed: the gifts given to President Trump by Arab leaders

Revealed: the gifts given to President Trump by Arab leaders

According to US law, gifts given to the President and his family are the property of the United States but they are free to purchase them at market value once out of office

A $2,650 gold-plated camel statue and a set of plates worth over $23,000 were among the gifts given to President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump by Arab officials, according to US government records.

The items are among dozens listed in a document from the Office of the Chief of Protocol, which provides details of gifts given by foreign government sources to US federal officials in 2019, ranging from President Trump to members of congress and senior members of various government departments and the US military.



Among the items listed in the document include a $2,000 bowl and frame ensemble given to Melania by Saudi Prince Khalid bin Abdullah, as well as a $10,000 designer-made chair featuring papyrus flower designs given to the First Lady by Egyptian President Fattah Al Sisi.

For President Trump, Saudi Arabia’s King Salman gifted a $2,650 “gold-plated camel standing near a watering hole with palm trees.”


Egyptian President Fattah Al Sisi


Other Saudi gifts for American officials included a $730 statue of a woman in a glass case and Cartier pen for Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, as well as a $5,946 black Armin watch for General Terrence McKenrick, the deputy commanding general of the US Army’s Central Command, which oversees the MENA region.

Of the 11 items listed as coming from UAE officials in 2018, none were directed to the President or the First Lady.

Pompeo, on the other hand, received a $490 “custom sculpture of rock masses” created by Emirati artist Mattar Bin Lahej.

James Mattis, a former Marine Corps general who served as Secretary of Defence for the first two years of the Trump administration before resigning, received a “white engraved Corian with brass inlay wall hanging” valued at $1,650 from Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed.


Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Mohamed bin Zayed (L) and Donald Trump (R)


Among the gifts received by US Vice-President Mike Pence, the document noted, was a $5,730 desk phone given to him by Bahraini Crown Prince Salman Bin Hamad Al Khalifa, who also serves as First Deputy Prime Minister and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Bahrain Defence Force.

The Vice-President was never able to use his gift. The document notes that it was “destroyed” as per the policy of the United States Secret Service. No further details were provided.

In all cases, the document noted that “non-acceptance would cause embarrassment to donor and US government.”


Bahraini Crown Prince Salman Bin Hamad Al Khalifa


All the gifts given to President Trump and his family were handed over to the National Archives and Records Administration, or NARA.

According to US government regulations, gifts to Presidents – and their families – are considered the property of the United States.

Once a presidential term has ended, the gifts are either transferred from NARA to a presidential library, or can be purchased by the outgoing president at current market value.

While 2018 was a fruitful year in terms of gifts to President Trump, his family and other Federal employees, they pale in comparison to 2017.


Saudi Arabia’s King Salman (R) and Donald Trump (L)


During the course of that year – Trump’s first in office – he received a variety of gifts from Arab governments, including a $6,400 ruby and emerald pendant necklace from Saudi Arabia’s King Salman and a $4,850 gold-plated model of a fighter jet from Bahrain.

Other gifts given to Trump included a $3,700 bronze statue of three oryx from Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Mohamed bin Zayed, who also gave the US president a number of other gifts such as a $1,250 bronze sculpture of a manatee and a $470 model oil well surface cap valve system.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Arab Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Dogfights in the Skies: Airbus on Track to Overtake Boeing and Claim Aviation Supremacy
Tim Cook Promises an AI Revolution at Apple: "One of the Most Significant Technologies of Our Generation"
Are AI Data Centres the Infrastructure of the Future or the Next Crisis?
Miles Worth Billions: How Airlines Generate Huge Profits
Zelenskyy Returns to White House Flanked by European Allies as Trump Pressures Land-Swap Deal with Putin
Beijing is moving into gold and other assets, diversifying away from the dollar
Trump Backs Putin’s Land-for-Peace Proposal Amid Kyiv’s Rejection
Zelenskyy to Visit Washington after Trump–Putin Summit Yields No Agreement
Iranian Protection Offers Chinese Vehicle Shipments a Cost Advantage over Japanese and Korean Makers
United States Sells Luxury Yacht Amadea, Valued at Approximately $325 Million, in First Sale of a Seized Russian Yacht Since the Invasion of Ukraine
Saudi Arabia accelerates renewables to curb domestic oil use
Cristiano Ronaldo and Georgina Rodríguez announce engagement
Asia-Pacific dominates world’s busiest flight routes, with South Korea’s Jeju–Seoul corridor leading global rankings
Private Welsh island with 19th-century fort listed for sale at over £3 million
Sam Altman challenges Elon Musk with plans for Neuralink rival
Australia to Recognize the State of Palestine at UN Assembly
The Collapse of the Programmer Dream: AI Experts Now the Real High-Earners
Armenia and Azerbaijan to Sign US-Brokered Framework Agreement for Nakhchivan Corridor
British Labour Government Utilizes Counter-Terrorism Tools for Social Media Monitoring Against Legitimate Critics
WhatsApp Deletes 6.8 Million Scam Accounts Amid Rising Global Fraud
Texas Residents Face Water Restrictions While AI Data Centers Consume Millions of Gallons
India Rejects U.S. Tariff Threat, Defends Russian Oil Purchases
United States Establishes Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and Digital Asset Stockpile
Thousands of Private ChatGPT Conversations Accidentally Indexed by Google
China Tightens Mineral Controls, Curtailing Critical Inputs for Western Defence Contractors
JPMorgan and Coinbase Unveil Partnership to Let Chase Cardholders Buy Crypto Directly
British Tourist Dies Following Hair Transplant in Turkey, Police Investigate
WhatsApp Users Targeted in New Scam Involving Account Takeovers
Trump Deploys Nuclear Submarines After Threats from Former Russian President Medvedev
Germany’s Economic Breakdown and the Return of Militarization: From Industrial Collapse to a New Offensive Strategy
Germany Enters Fiscal Crisis as Cabinet Approves €174 Billion in New Debt
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
UN's Top Court Declares Environmental Protection a Legal Obligation Under International Law
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
President Trump Diagnosed with Chronic Venous Insufficiency After Leg Swelling
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
Iranian President Reportedly Injured During Israeli Strike on Secret Facility
Kurdistan Workers Party Takes Symbolic Step Towards Peace in Northern Iraq
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Russia Formally Recognizes Taliban Government in Afghanistan
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Mediators Edge Closer to Israel-Hamas Ceasefire Agreement
Germany Seeks Taliban Deal to Deport Afghan Migrants
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Robots Compete in Football Tournament in China Amid Injuries
×