Records of “gifts” from foreign governments to Trump, Pence, and White House staffers mysteriously missing
The State Department says it is unable to compile a complete and accurate accounting of gifts presented to former President Donald Trump and other U.S. 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 didn’t submit information about gifts given to former Vice President Mike Pence and White House staffers 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.
You may remember the first Trump administration GSA from such episodes as “we can’t authorize any spending for the presidential transition because my boss says he’s still president.”
Imagine if Obama . . . ah forget it Jake.