Associated Press
- Dozens of gifts went missing from the State Department's gift vault, according to Politico.
- Two U.S. officials familiar with the matter told Politco the gifts vanished during the transition between the Trump and Biden administrations.
- Among the missing items is a $5,800 bottle of Japanese whiskey.
- See more stories on Insider's business page.
Dozens of items went missing from the State Department's gift vault during the transition from the Trump to Biden administrations, Politico reported Friday.
Two U.S. officials familiar with the matter told Politico foreign affairs correspondent Nahal Toosi that at least 20 types of individual pieces are missing and there the State Department's inspector general is investigating the disappearances.
According to Politico, most of the missing items are gifts the U.S. was planning to give to other countries. Many of the items bore Donald Trump's insignia, the outlet reported, adding that "possibly hundreds" of items are missing.
State Department officials are currently looking for a $5,800 bottle of Japanese whisky given to then-Secretary of State Mike Pompeo by the Japanese government in 2019, according to public notice filings on Wednesday.
State Department policy allows its diplomats to keep gifts under $390, with the option to purchase gifts over that price. But in order to prevent bribery and foreign influence, officials cannot accept gifts directly from other governments.
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