Trump receives gem-encrusted ring from Belgian diamond group

BRUSSELS (AP) — Dozens of diamonds spell out two giant letters T alongside the stars and stripes as well as “1776” and “2026.” Dozens of others frame the numbers 45 and 47 in the shape of the Superman logo. A diamond-winged eagle carries a ruby ​​shield and clutches an emerald olive branch, beneath a radiant “250” and atop the phrase “250 YEARS USA” engraved in 18-karat gold.

A total of 321 diamonds, 56 sapphires, 13 emeralds and six rubies encrusted the watch-sized gold ring given this week to Bill White, the US ambassador to Belgium, to be presented to US President Donald Trump.

“A very special thank you to my friends in Antwerp for the beautiful Freedom 250 ring,” Trump said in a pre-recorded video message at an event marking America’s 250th birthday in Brussels.

Isidore Mörsel, president of the Antwerp World Diamond Center, or AWDC, gave the ring on behalf of the Belgian port city’s centuries-old diamond community, a central node in the global gem trade that found itself struggling last year under the weight of Trump’s sweeping trade war.

“May this ring serve as a lasting reminder that true partnership, like the finest natural diamonds, is formed under pressure, stands the test of time, and shines brightest when built on trust,” Mörsel said. The inside of the ring is engraved with the phrase “Made in Antwerp for Donald John Trump”.

In dollar terms, the ring’s value pales in comparison to gifts like the $400 million plane gifted by Qatar that Trump ordered turned into a new Air Force One. But it is a sumptuous window into the role that ostentatious – and almost always golden – gifts play by those seeking to curry favor with the American president.

A White House official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss the matter, said Thursday that the ring had not yet been presented to Trump.

This ring is the latest in Trump’s historic break with White House customs

This gift comes a few months after the Belgian diamond industry obtained the removal of American customs duties on diamond imports. In September, AWDC said it had “succeeded in securing a zero percent import duty” on Antwerp’s annual exports of more than $2 billion in polished diamonds to the United States. A spokesperson for the group said Thursday that AWDC provided “input” to the European Commission during negotiations with Trump over a broad deal on tariffs in 2025, but did not itself lobby the administration.

U.S. presidents have considerable discretion in accepting gifts from domestic and foreign sources and can determine for themselves whether a gift is intended for them personally or for the nation. The exception is those from foreign governments, which are prohibited by the Constitution’s foreign emoluments clause without congressional approval, although presidents can use personal funds to reimburse the Treasury for the full value of an official gift if they wish to keep it.

Personal gifts are also supposed to be recorded in the president’s annual financial statement. Trump’s 2025 disclosure, released this week, revealed a $250,000 donation of a sculpture depicting his triumphant gesture after surviving a 2024 assassination attempt at a campaign rally in Butler, Pa., and tickets to 10 sporting events, including 10 for the upcoming World Cup final in New Jersey, from FIFA’s Gianni Infantino, collectively worth $15 000 $.

Four U.S. ethics experts told The Associated Press that Trump broke with a decades-old White House custom of avoiding accepting such gifts.

Sign up for Morning Wire: Our flagship newsletter features the day’s biggest headlines.

The value of the ring is estimated between $25,000 and $35,000.

To forge the ring, the AWDC turned to David Gotlib, a high-end jeweler in Antwerp whose cufflinks can sell for more than 15,000 euros ($17,000).

Neither AWDC nor Gotlib provided an appraisal of the ring, but two independent jewelers told AP they estimated the value to be between $25,000 and $35,000.

Alexander Levinson, a jewelry consultant based in Paris and London, estimated the cost at $25,928, while David Saad, a third-generation luxury jeweler in Canada, valued the ring at $33,000 to $35,000. Both said half the cost was materials and half was labor.

After the ring was presented on a star-studded stage in Brussels, musician Alexis Wilkins, the girlfriend of FBI Director Kash Patel, sang the American national anthem in front of more than 8,000 people drinking Budweiser and bourbon from Tennessee and Kentucky.

Ambassador White said he raised more than $5.5 million for the 250th anniversary event from corporate sponsors such as defense industry titans Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman, technology companies like Intel, Google and Meta, as well as European chocolate companies Leonidas and Ferrero. AWDC said it also contributed financially.

“The media was like, ‘Why does this have to be so big?’ ” White said of the event. “Because we are the United States of America!” »

The ambassador announced on social media Friday that after presenting the ring to Trump, it would be displayed in the Oval Office.

What Are The Main Benefits Of Comparing Car Insurance Quotes Online

LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESSWIRE / June 24, 2020, / Compare-autoinsurance.Org has launched a new blog post that presents the main benefits of comparing multiple car insurance quotes. For more info and free online quotes, please visit https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/the-advantages-of-comparing-prices-with-car-insurance-quotes-online/ The modern society has numerous technological advantages. One important advantage is the speed at which information is sent and received. With the help of the internet, the shopping habits of many persons have drastically changed. The car insurance industry hasn't remained untouched by these changes. On the internet, drivers can compare insurance prices and find out which sellers have the best offers. View photos The advantages of comparing online car insurance quotes are the following: Online quotes can be obtained from anywhere and at any time. Unlike physical insurance agencies, websites don't have a specific schedule and they are available at any time. Drivers that have busy working schedules, can compare quotes from anywhere and at any time, even at midnight. Multiple choices. Almost all insurance providers, no matter if they are well-known brands or just local insurers, have an online presence. Online quotes will allow policyholders the chance to discover multiple insurance companies and check their prices. Drivers are no longer required to get quotes from just a few known insurance companies. Also, local and regional insurers can provide lower insurance rates for the same services. Accurate insurance estimates. Online quotes can only be accurate if the customers provide accurate and real info about their car models and driving history. Lying about past driving incidents can make the price estimates to be lower, but when dealing with an insurance company lying to them is useless. Usually, insurance companies will do research about a potential customer before granting him coverage. Online quotes can be sorted easily. Although drivers are recommended to not choose a policy just based on its price, drivers can easily sort quotes by insurance price. Using brokerage websites will allow drivers to get quotes from multiple insurers, thus making the comparison faster and easier. For additional info, money-saving tips, and free car insurance quotes, visit https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/ Compare-autoinsurance.Org is an online provider of life, home, health, and auto insurance quotes. This website is unique because it does not simply stick to one kind of insurance provider, but brings the clients the best deals from many different online insurance carriers. In this way, clients have access to offers from multiple carriers all in one place: this website. On this site, customers have access to quotes for insurance plans from various agencies, such as local or nationwide agencies, brand names insurance companies, etc. "Online quotes can easily help drivers obtain better car insurance deals. All they have to do is to complete an online form with accurate and real info, then compare prices", said Russell Rabichev, Marketing Director of Internet Marketing Company. CONTACT: Company Name: Internet Marketing CompanyPerson for contact Name: Gurgu CPhone Number: (818) 359-3898Email: [email protected]: https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/ SOURCE: Compare-autoinsurance.Org View source version on accesswire.Com:https://www.Accesswire.Com/595055/What-Are-The-Main-Benefits-Of-Comparing-Car-Insurance-Quotes-Online View photos