What gifts did Donald Trump receive while president? Some records are missing
- A complete list of items presented by foreign governments during his final year in office cannot be compiled because of missing data, the State Department says
- Records for 2020 are also unavailable for gifts to Trump’s family, Mike Pence, and other White House officials
The US State Department says it is unable to compile a complete and accurate accounting of gifts presented to former president Donald Trump and other American officials by foreign governments during Trump’s final year in office, citing missing data from the White House.
In a report to be published in the Federal Register next week, the department says the Executive Office of the President did not submit information about gifts received by Trump and his family from foreign leaders in 2020.
It also says the General Services Administration did not submit information about gifts given to former vice-president Mike Pence and White House staff that year.
The State Department said it sought the missing information from National Archives and Records Administration and the General Services Administration, but was told that “potentially relevant records” are not available because of access restrictions related to retired records.
The State Department’s Office of Protocol reported the situation in footnotes to a partial list of gifts received by US officials in 2020. The office publishes such lists annually in part to guard against potential conflicts of interest.
A preview of the 2020 report was posted on the Federal Register website on Friday ahead of its formal publication on Monday.