Diplomatic gifts are typically formal and understated. During Donald Trump’s presidency, though, the tone shifted. World leaders began offering more eye-catching items, often tailored to Trump’s personality and interests. Instead of classic protocol pieces, the White House saw gifts like custom golf clubs, ornate helmets, and boxing belts fit for display, not storage. Let’s check out some of these gifts below.
Xi Jinping: Calligraphy Display - $14,400
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Tensions might have been rising over tariffs, but Xi Jinping arrived at Mar-a-Lago in 2017 with a $14,400 calligraphy display inside a lavish, artful presentation box.
Xi Jinping: 85-Piece Mar-a-Lago Porcelain Dinnerware Set - $16,250
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During Xi Jinping’s 2017 visit to Mar-a-Lago, he gave Donald and Melania Trump an 85-piece porcelain dinnerware set valued at $16,250. The design featured images of Mar-a-Lago’s pink exterior.
King Salman: Ruby and Emerald Pendant Necklace - $6,400
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Diplomacy usually leans on polite gestures and careful words, but King Salman decided jewels spoke louder during Donald Trump's 2017 visit. He gifted him a ruby and emerald pendant necklace valued at $6,400. The necklace went to the National Archives.
Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa: Gold-Plated Fighter Jet Model - $4,850
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Not every day does a fighter jet land on a president's gift table, but that happened in 2017 thanks to Bahrain's Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa. Donald Trump received a fully loaded gold-plated silver model, missiles, and rockets valued at $4,850. It celebrated Bahrain's close military ties with the United States, especially its role in hosting the U.S. Navy's Fifth Fleet.
Crown Prince Mohamed bin Zayed: Bronze Oryx Statue - $3,700
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Crown Prince Mohamed bin Zayed of Abu Dhabi gave Donald Trump a bronze sculpture featuring three oryx, valued at $3,700 and made by William & Son of London. The oryx has long been associated with the region and is often used in art and official symbolism. The piece joined a long list of gifts presented during that year’s meetings.
Rabbi Shmuel Rabinowitz: Personalized Book of Psalms - $4,500
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When Donald Trump visited the Western Wall in Jerusalem, Rabbi Shmuel Rabinowitz gave him a personalized Book of Psalms worth $4,500. It was produced by The Jerusalem Art Bindery and designed with custom details specific to the visit. Trump was the first sitting U.S. president to go to the site, so the gift served both as a formal gesture and a record of that moment.
Church of the Holy Sepulchre: Gold and Diamond Necklace - $5,800
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Along with the personalized Book of Psalms, Donald Trump also received a $5,800 gold and diamond necklace from the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. It was presented in a cream box marked with gold symbols and rests in the National Archives.
Patriarch Theophilos III: Mother-of-Pearl Nativity Scene - $4,200
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Greek Orthodox Patriarch Theophilos III presented Donald Trump with a $4,200 mother-of-pearl Nativity scene. This piece measures about 24.5 inches and features carved figures gathered under a shooting star.
President Mahmoud Abbas: Neo-Byzantine Nativity Scene and Mother-of-Pearl Portrait - $6,770
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During Donald and Melania Trump's visit, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas presented a $6,770 set featuring a neo-Byzantine Nativity scene, painted on wood and framed in gilt silver with deep green and cream accents. Alongside it came a striking portrait of Melania, printed on mother-of-pearl panels and framed with colorful inlays.
Chancellor Angela Merkel: Mont Blanc Writing Set - $5,264
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Serious diplomacy sometimes starts with the right pen, and Angela Merkel knew it in July 2017. She gifted Donald Trump a $5,264 Mont Blanc writing set featuring a 149 fountain pen, an augmented paper and screenwriter pen, and sharp, polished stationery.
President Emmanuel Macron: Louis Vuitton Golf Bag and Photographs - $8,275
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In April 2018, President Emmanuel Macron gifted Donald Trump a Louis Vuitton golf bag worth $8,275. Alongside it, a set of striking black-and-white photographs featuring soldiers in front of the U.S. flag offered a powerful tribute to their shared military past.
Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al-Khalifa: Bronze Arabian Horse Sculpture - $7,200
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Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al-Khalifa of Bahrain gifted Donald Trump a $7,200 bronze sculpture of an Arabian horse in 2019. The Arabian horse represents the heart of Middle Eastern tradition, and the gift celebrates Bahrain’s equestrian heritage.
President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi: Black Stone Double Frame - $4,450
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Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi presented Donald Trump with a striking gift—an intricately carved double frame made of black stone, valued at $4,450. On one side, Trump's image was crafted in precious metal, while the other displayed Egypt's coat of arms.