Trump, family failed to disclose more than 100 foreign gifts, congressional report says

by Julia Shapero - 03/17/23 2:44 PM ET

Former President Trump and members of his family failed to disclose more than 100 gifts worth nearly $300,000 that they received from foreign governments during his presidency, according to a report House Oversight and Accountability Committee Democrats released on Friday.

The report, based on White House records that the committee requested from the National Archives last June, identified 117 undisclosed foreign gifts received by the former president, former first lady Melania Trump, Trump’s son-in-law and senior adviser Jared Kushner, and Trump’s daughter and adviser Ivanka Trump.

Trump’s youngest son Barron Trump and the Kushner children were also listed as recipients of some of the undisclosed gifts.

The president and his family are not allowed to personally keep gifts worth more than $415 from foreign governments and instead must accept them on behalf of the United States. The gifts, which must be publicly disclosed, are then turned over to the National Archives.

After Trump left office, the State Department reported that it was “missing items of a significant value”, finding that a “lack of accurate recordkeeping and appropriate physical security controls contributed to the loss of the gifts.” A later report also said that the president’s office had failed to provide a foreign gift listing for 2020.

Friday’s report from the Oversight Committee noted that the undisclosed gifts create concerns about “potential undue influence,” highlighting that the Trump family failed to report $45,000 worth of gifts from Saudi Arabia, $47,000 worth of gifts from India and $3,400 worth of gifts from China.

The previously undisclosed gifts included, among other things, a “larger-than-life sized painting” of Trump from the president of El Salvador and a $3,755 gold golf driver from the late Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

White House email correspondence suggested officials may have provided inaccurate advice on reporting requirements, according to the report.