Trump gifted lavish ring from Belgian diamond group that won tariff relief
The gift comes months after Belgium's diamond industry won the removal of U.S. tariffs on diamond imports.
Dozens of diamonds spell out two giant letter "T" next to the Stars and Stripes and "1776" and "2026." Dozens more frame the numbers 45 and 47 in the shape of Superman's logo. A diamond-winged eagle carries a ruby shield and clutches an olive branch of emeralds, below a radiant "250" and atop the phrase "250 YEARS USA" etched in 18-karat gold.
All told, 321 diamonds, 56 sapphires, 13 emeralds and six rubies encrust the watch-sized gold ring presented this week to Bill White, the U.S. ambassador to Belgium, to give to President Trump.
"A very special thank you to my friends from Antwerp for the magnificent Freedom 250 ring," Mr. Trump said in a prerecorded video message during an event marking America's 250th birthday in Brussels.
Isidore Mörsel, president of the Antwerp World Diamond Center, or AWDC, gifted the ring on behalf of the centuries-old diamond community in the Belgian port city, a central node in the worldwide trade of the precious stones that found itself struggling last year under the weight of Mr. Trump's sweeping trade war.
"May this ring serve as a lasting reminder that true partnership like the finest natural diamonds are formed under pressure, endure the test of time, and shine brightest when built on trust," Mörsel said. The ring's interior is engraved with the phrase "Crafted in Antwerp for Donald John Trump."
In dollar terms, the ring's value pales beside gifts like the $400 million plane donated by Qatar that Mr. Trump ordered converted into a new Air Force One. But it's a glitzy window into the role that ostentatious — and almost always gilded — gifts are playing by those seeking to curry favor with the U.S. president.