Daijiworld Media Network - Washington
Washington, Jun 7: Former US first lady Dr Jill Biden has shared a detailed account of a diamond gifted to her by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, describing how she was initially keen to keep it but eventually returned it after official valuation rules took effect.
In her newly released memoir View from the East Wing: A Memoir, Biden reflects on life inside the White House and the strict ethical framework that governs gifts received by the First Family. Among the most memorable items she mentions is a 7.5-carat lab-grown diamond presented by PM Modi during his official visit to Washington.
She recalls that the gift stood out immediately. While noting its beauty, she also explains that such items are not personal possessions of the First Lady but are treated as federal property under US regulations.
According to Biden, White House ethics rules require that any gift above a certain threshold be assessed and recorded by government authorities. In some cases, recipients may choose to keep the item by paying its evaluated market price.
Initially, she believed she might be able to purchase the diamond. PM Modi, she writes, had described it as being handcrafted in his hometown with a stated value of around $2,500 and even provided documentation supporting that figure. This led her to briefly consider buying it.
However, that option changed after an official appraisal by the State Department placed the diamond’s value at $20,000, making it too expensive for her to retain.
Instead, Biden was allowed to use the diamond temporarily. She had it set into a ring and wore it at official White House events during her tenure.
Once the Bidens left office, the ring was returned to government custody, where it was placed among numerous other official gifts stored in federal warehouses, some of which are later discarded or destroyed.
Biden uses the episode to highlight the often complex and little-known rules that govern official life in Washington, where gifts, residences, and even ceremonial exchanges are tightly regulated to avoid personal enrichment from public office.
She contrasts this experience with another gift—a bracelet from French First Lady Brigitte Macron—which she ultimately chose to purchase from the government so she could keep it permanently. She writes that she still wears it regularly.
She also mentions other notable items received during her time as First Lady, including a brooch from Ukraine made using fragments of bomb shrapnel, which officials valued at over $14,000.
PM Modi’s 2023 state visit to Washington was a major diplomatic event during the Biden administration, drawing thousands of members of the Indian American community to the White House and featuring a high-profile state dinner. The visit also underscored expanding cooperation between India and the United States in areas such as defence, semiconductors, technology, and strategic partnerships.