14 June,2014 08:19 AM IST | | Agencies
A bag of coffee, a gold-painted box, six steak knives and tote bags are some of the odd presents the US President has received in his presidential reign
Melbourne: US President Obama has received many odd gifts in his presidential reign, which are filtered through the Protocol Gift Unit and some of them are listed on the State Department website.
US President Barack Obama holds a cap gifted to him by FBI Director Robert Mueller 2009. Pic/AFP
The presents include a gold-painted box containing a book, magnifying glass, and full-version of the Star Spangled Banner in custom ink and calligraphy from former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, one bag of coffee; one candle, six steak knives, a tea set and a giant silver coffee bean from Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos Calderon.
The President has also been given classic Lacoste polo shirts, elegant lighters, glass goblets, a silver fountain pen, leather wallets and tote bags by French people and a wooden coyote in a display box.
It was also revealed that everything is accepted to avoid embarrassment to the donor and US Government but it is then sent to the National Archives and Records Administration and perishables are dealt with according to Secret Service protocol.
