Key facts
- Democratic senators Elizabeth Warren and Richard Blumenthal are questioning Belgian diamond firms about a ring gifted to President Trump.
- The gift was presented weeks before the U.S. exempted the European diamond industry from new tariffs.
- The senators cited concerns about U.S. federal bribery law and the appearance of impropriety.
- The ring is reportedly 18-carat gold and encrusted with 321 diamonds, with media reports valuing it at $25,000 to $35,000.
- The Trump administration stated the exemption upheld a prior trade agreement and that the ring would be considered federal property.
Two Democratic senators, Elizabeth Warren and Richard Blumenthal, have written to two Belgian diamond industry firms, the Antwerp World Diamond Centre and David Gotlib Luxury Cufflinks, demanding answers about an 18-carat gold ring gifted to U.S. President Donald Trump.
The senators warned that the gift, presented weeks before the U.S. exempted Europe's diamond industry from new tariffs, raises serious legal questions under U.S. federal bribery law and could result in criminal penalties.
In their August 10 letter, the senators stated that the gift, handcrafted by David Gotlib, was presented to the U.S. ambassador in Belgium on June 28 as an honor for the 250th anniversary of the U.S. They argued that at best, the gift creates a "glaring appearance of impropriety" amidst high-stakes tariff decisions, and at worst, suggests foreign corporate interests can "buy lucrative tariff exemptions." Media reports have placed the ring's value between $25,000 and $35,000.
The Trump administration officially exempted European natural diamonds from new Section 301 tariffs on July 24, restoring the industry's zero-percent tariff access. The senators requested the firms respond by August 24 with details on the ring's value, who paid for it, and any discussions about tariffs with the Trump administration prior to the exemption announcement.
Republicans currently control both houses of Congress, but Democrats are reportedly developing an investigative strategy targeting companies around Trump if they regain power after the November elections. The White House denied any favors to special interests, with a spokesman stating the exemption upheld a previous agreement for preferential treatment under a U.S.-European Union trade deal. An administration official also noted that the diamond ring would be considered federal property, requiring the president to pay its market price if he wished to keep it.