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The Infamous Soccer Ball That Putin Gave To Trump Is Missing

File this under something everyone knew would be an issue. According to 5 U.S.C. Sec. 7342 (c)(1)(A), anytime the president or vice president receives:

a tangible gift of more than minimal value is deemed to have been accepted on behalf of the United States and, upon acceptance, shall become the property of the United States;

Now, who would ever have thought that would become an issue with Donald Trump? You were correct. According to the Washington Post:

Congressional investigators are looking for dozens of pricey mementos gifted to former president Donald Trump and his family members by foreign governments, according to three people familiar with the matter. The House Oversight Committee has asked for help in locating the items from the National Archives, which is among the agencies charged with keeping presidential gifts, two of the people said.

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The eclectic list ranges from golf clubs given to Trump by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to a 2018 World Cup soccer ball gifted by Russian President Vladimir Putin, a gold-plated collar of Horus, the falcon-headed ancient Egyptian god, given by Egypt’s president, a large painting of Trump from the president of El Salvador, and a $6,400 collar of King Abdulaziz al Saud, a ceremonial honor from Saudi Arabia.

Again, this is something that one could have predicted prior to Trump’s inauguration (Indeed, Trump was making money off inauguration, too). And it isn’t like this is some convoluted, difficult-to-understand and apply rule. You can be absolutely sure that every ambassador, four-star, or any high-ranking official abroad knows that if one is given the Crown Jewels, you say “On behalf of the United States, thank you,” and then you give them to “the American Government,” which again sounds like our poor fellow citizens at the poor National Archives doing what was once mundane, but critically necessary librarian work, and has now morphed into some Jason Bourne mission.

 

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