London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Sunday, Mar 15, 2026

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

0:00
0:00
Close
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s Planned Australia Visit Draws Mixed Reaction From Local Communities
Trump Calls on France and UK to Help Safeguard Strait of Hormuz Shipping Route
Boris Johnson Labels Bitcoin a ‘Ponzi Scheme’, Sparking Debate in Crypto World
UK Considers Targeted Aid for Vulnerable Households as Energy Costs Rise
Stellantis Urges Immediate Review of UK Electric Vehicle Sales Targets
Home Office Reverses Course to Allow Some Dual Nationals to Enter UK Using EU Passports
Reform UK Proposes Replacing Top Civil Servants With Officials Aligned to Government Agenda
Netflix Adds Critically Acclaimed ‘Best Film of 2025’ With Perfect Rotten Tomatoes Score
‘The Sums Don’t Add Up’: UK Farmers Hit by Soaring Costs as Iran War Disrupts Global Supplies
Confidential UK Biobank Health Records Found Online After Researchers Accidentally Expose Data
Trump Urges Britain and Allies to Deploy Warships to Safeguard Strait of Hormuz
Trump Urges Britain and Allies to Deploy Warships to Safeguard Strait of Hormuz
Middle East War Highlights Strategic Importance of Strong UK–Ireland Cooperation
Weak Growth Signals UK Economy Was Faltering Even Before Middle East Energy Shock
Marks & Spencer Tops UK Fashion Retail Rankings as Most Considered Brand
United States Launches Trade Investigation Into Allies Over Forced Labour Practices
United States Launches Trade Investigation Into Allies Over Forced Labour Practices
Russia Accuses Britain Over Storm Shadow Strike as London Reaffirms Ukraine’s Right to Self-Defence
Russia Accuses Britain Over Storm Shadow Strike as London Reaffirms Ukraine’s Right to Self-Defence
Royal Navy to Acquire Twenty Uncrewed Surface Vessels for Autonomous Warfare Testing
Russia Summons British and French Envoys After Ukrainian Storm Shadow Strike on Strategic Facility
Starmer Confirms Britain Will Maintain Sanctions on Russia Despite U.S. Policy Shift
UK Moves to Refine AI Definition in Investment Security Reform
UK Economy Stalls in January as Growth Unexpectedly Falls to Zero
Asian Energy Security Tested as Strait of Hormuz Disruption Threatens Oil Supplies
Iran Sets Three Conditions for Ending Regional War as Diplomatic Efforts Intensify
Tesla Secures Approval to Supply Electricity Directly to Homes Across Britain
Prince William Delivers Tribute to Australia’s Naval Alliance Amid Renewed Royal Spotlight on the Country
UK Foreign Secretary Travels to Saudi Arabia to Reinforce Support for Regional Allies
Putin’s ‘Hidden Hand’ May Be Assisting Iran in Conflict With Trump, UK Defence Secretary Warns
UK Sets April Deadline for Tech Platforms to Strengthen Online Protections for Children
Elon Musk Moves Into Britain’s Energy Market as Tesla Wins Licence to Supply Power
UK Watchdog Warns Fuel Retailers Against Profiteering Amid Iran War Price Surge
Report Claims Iran Used UK Charity Network to Expand Influence
United States and United Kingdom Establish Joint Standards for Counter-Drone Technology
Iran May Be Laying Naval Mines in Strait of Hormuz, UK Warns Amid Escalating Gulf Tensions
US Deploys Bunker-Buster Bombs to UK Airbase as Iran Conflict Intensifies
British Troops in Iraq Intercept Iranian Drones Targeting Coalition Base
Release of Mandelson Files Raises Tensions as UK Seeks Stable Relations With Donald Trump
UK Documents Reveal Starmer Was Warned About Mandelson’s Epstein Links Before Ambassador Appointment
Nearly Five Hundred UK Mortgage Deals Withdrawn in Two Days as Market Volatility Forces Lenders to Reprice
Three Cargo Ships Hit Near Iran as Attacks Spread to Strategic Strait of Hormuz
Why British Police Repeatedly Declined to Investigate Jeffrey Epstein’s UK Links
UK Parliament Ends Hereditary Seats in House of Lords, Closing Chapter on Centuries of Aristocratic Lawmaking
EU and UK Urge Israel to Act Against Rising West Bank Settler Violence Amid Regional Tensions
US Senator John Kennedy Says Keir Starmer Should Not Be Trusted for Military Advice Amid Iran War Debate
UK High Court Rejects Attempt to Revive Terrorism Charge Against Kneecap Rapper
Revolut Secures Full UK Banking Licence After Multi-Year Regulatory Wait
Kentucky’s Bench Boost Powers Wildcats Past LSU in SEC Tournament Opener
British Couple Die After Being Pulled From Water at Australian Beach During Family Visit
×