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Former President Donald Trump announced Monday that he had located a gold-painted golf club given to him by the late Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe — one of dozens of presents from foreign leaders sought by House Democrats.
“I am pleased to report that after a search, we were able to find the gold (paint!) Driver given to me by my friend & former Prime Minister of Japan, Shinzo Abe,” Trump, 76, announced on his Truth Social platform.
“It was in a locker, with other clubs, at Trump International Golf Club in Palm Beach County, Florida. It has never been used,” he added.
“Based on the fact that this club was given to me before entering office, I am told that there are no reporting requirements, but I am nevertheless forwarding it to [the National Archives]. My company buys thousands of clubs a year!”
The $3,755 driver was one of three clubs Abe, who was assassinated July 8 of last year, presented to Trump, along with another $3,040 driver and a $460 putter.
The golden club was received in November 2016, but the S-Yard red driver and Bettinardi putter were apparently given during visits Abe made during Trump’s time in the Oval Office.
Federal officials by law cannot keep personal gifts that are worth more than $415 and are given by foreign governments. These are often taken and stored by the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA).
The gifts were among more than 100 other items from foreign leaders that the 45th president failed to disclose while in office, according to an interim report commissioned by Democrats on the House Oversight Committee.
The report, published March 17, shows the items were worth a total of nearly $300,000 and also included a “larger-than-life” portrait of Trump from El Salvador President Nayib Bukele received before the 2020 election.
House Democrats suggested that the ex-commander in chief skipped town with the gifts when he moved to his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida and claimed them as “property of the former president.”
Gifts valued in excess of $415 may be repurchased from the General Services Administration by former office holders.
The National Archives told House Democrats there were no records of the painting nor of Abe’s golf clubs, according to the report.
Democrats said the lavish nature of the gifts suggested that they were meant “to win favor from former President Trump” toward certain nations.
The committee report also revealed $45,000 worth of undisclosed gifts from Saudi Arabia — including a $24,000 dagger and sheath bestowed on Trump’s son-in-law and White House adviser Jared Kushner that he later bought back from the government — as well as $47,000 worth of undisclosed gifts from India and $3,400 worth of undisclosed gifts from China.
Oversight Committee ranking member Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) said the secret gifts were only discovered through “investigative work and accidents,” but did not say whether the matter would be referred to the Justice Department.