The King of Saudi Arabia Gave More Than $1.3M in Gifts to the Obamas Last Year
The State Department's register of gifts – which was recently published in the Federal Register and lists items given to federal agencies by foreign governments – shows most dignitaries presenting mundane, but lovely, tokens to the White House: six boxes of dates from the ambassador of Algeria here, three bottles of wine from the French president there.
Enter the late Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and King of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Before his death earlier this year, he gifted the Obamas what can only be described as a whole lot of swag.
For the president himself: a gold and silver watch, estimated to be worth $18,240; a gold-plated brass replica of the Makkah Clock Tower, estimated at $57,000; and another watch, this one white gold, estimated at $67,000.
In total, these items are worth about $142,240 – chump change compared to the money Abdullah dropped on First Lady Michelle Obama.
From the king, FLOTUS accepted a diamond and emerald jewelry set, an estimated $560,000 value, and a diamond and pearl jewelry set, worth about $570,000.
Obama daughters Sasha and Malia received a diamond and emerald jewelry set and a diamond and ruby jewelry set, totaling $80,000. To share – and from Saudi Prince Miteb bin Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud – the Obama family got a model palm tree, several bottles of perfume, eight robes, three capes, a couple of muumuus, a satin outfit, a velvet gown, and four ornate boxes.
Overall bling total: $1,352,240.
http://www.usnews.com/news/blogs/data-mine/2015/12/02/the-king-of-saudi-arabia-gave-over-13m-in-gifts-to-the-obamas-last-year
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and it does make one wonder what WE gave to the Saudi's Diplomatically in gifts that could compare to what the Saudi's gave which certainly they knew was "OTT" to the family and surely would be seen as "unseemly" and out of proportion in worth by the US Mainstream Media.
The value of what the Saudi's gave the Obama Family compared to the Gifts that President Obama delivered to the Saudi's when visiting them is a fair question to be asked.
I expect the Obama's will do the customary Presidential Action and give it to their Library or to the US Treasury...because it would be questionable to do otherwise. Still citizens have a right to ask why the Saudi's felt they could give such large gifts to the President, his wife and children......and not have it be seen as "out of place" in worth to whatever we would give them in a Diplomatic Exchange/Gift as is customary. 