Bizarre gifts given to US presidents: From giant pandas for Nixon to a Komodo dragon for George H.W. Bush

The US Constitution states clearly that the president is prohibited from accepting gifts from foreign countries, unless granted the consent of Congress. These rules are coming into focus as the White House toys with the idea of accepting a $400 million upgrade to Air Force One from Qatar.

The Middle Eastern country is one of the spots President Trump will visit on his first international trip. A growing number of leaders and figures within the GOP think that the president should turn down the deal, ranging from conservative commentator Ben Shapiro to Republican senators on Capitol Hill.

As the Trump administration evaluates whether or not to accept the aircraft, dubbed ‘a palace in the sky,’ we take a look at other strange and valuable gifts received by the US president.

The National Archives is home to many ‘gifts of state’, as many past presidents found it too rude to turn down a beautiful gift. “In spite of the prohibition, the strong tradition of diplomatic exchange compelled foreign leaders to continue to send gifts‚“ explains the National Archives in detailing the history of gifts between leaders.

The United States was one of the earliest countries to forbid the acceptance of gifts by the president over fears of corruption and personal enrichment at the expense of the public’s welfare. Nevertheless, the archives notes that all US presidents, going back to even George Washington, were offered gifts of state.

‘Gifts of state’ held by the National Archives

Many of the items have not had their value calculated, as they are rare items that had previously lived in that state’s own collections.

During his visit to Washington, Konrad Adenauer, the German chancellor at the time, presented President Dwight D. Eisenhower with a 16th-century painting named “Adoration of the Three Wise Kings” to express gratitude for the nation’s support in the post-war reconstruction period.

Another example includes a gift from Israeli Defense Minister Shimon Peres to President Gerald Ford, who presented Ford with an ancient wine or water vessel used by the Romans more than 2000 years ago.

Other gifts were a touch more personalized. The Norwegian royal family sent President Franklin D. Roosevelt and his first lady an Art Deco tea set to commemorate a day shared between the two families in 1939.

Bizarre gifts presented to US presidents

In 1971, Richard Nixon became the first US president to visit China after the revolution. After his visit, the Chinese government sent two pandas to Washington as a gift to the American people.

“The pandas’ arrival at the National Zoo in Washington, D.C. (not the National Archives!) highlighted cultural diplomacy between the U.S. and China,” reports the archive’s foundation.

A decade later, President Ronald Reagan received a personalized saddle from various governments. One of his favorites came from Algerian President Bendjedid.

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