New Report Shows Biden Was Gifted $19,000 Painting in 2024

Former President Joe Biden received a $19,000 painting from Angolan President João Lourenco last year, according to a new report released by the U.S. State Department’s Bureau of Protocol.

The report, released annually, details gifts from foreign leaders and governments to the president, his spouse, Cabinet members and other senior officials. Federal employees must report such gifts if their value exceeds $480. Typically, these gifts are then transferred to the National Archives or the General Services Administration, unless the recipient chooses to repay the gift to the U.S. Treasury Department.

The latest report, covering 2024, shows Biden received the painting, titled MarimbaAugusto Guizef Guilherme, a self-taught Angolan painter. AfriKin, a Miami-based nonprofit dedicated to promoting contemporary African and diaspora art, said Guilherme’s work “celebrates the rich culture of Africa” ​​and has been included in international exhibitions in Zurich, Lisbon and Miami.

“The natural beauty that rural African women possess creates a sense of obligation to their ancestors as they leave a legacy and footprints that deserve to be elevated and celebrated,” Gilliam wrote in an artist statement published on the artist collective North Waveland’s website.

Other artworks received by Biden include a $3,300 sculpture of a winged woman from the prime minister of Iraq; $3,300 of photos and artwork from the prime minister of the Czech Republic; and $3,000 of sculptures, photos, posters and books from the president of France. Former Vice President Kamala Harris received a $1,440 ceramic bowl from South Korea’s first lady and a $1,460 painting from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

All of the above gifts have been transferred to the National Archives.