Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

Trump Mocked After Gifts He Received From Saudi Government Turn Out to Be Fakes

Trump Mocked After Gifts He Received From Saudi Government Turn Out to Be Fakes
Bandar Algaloud / Saudi Kingdom Council / Handout/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images

Throughout his administration, former President Donald Trump was criticized for his efforts to ingratiate the Saudi Arabian kingdom without condemning its human rights abuses.

When U.S. resident and Washington Post reporter Jamal Khashoggi was brutally murdered on the order of Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman, the Trump administration continued to negotiate with the Saudi royal family. In a statement, Trump defended them as a "great ally" and said Khashoggi was likely an "enemy of the state."


Trump showered Saudi Arabia with favors as well, resuming the sale of precision-guided bombs to the nation, despite concerns on civilian deaths resulting from airstrikes in Yemen. Trump vetoed bills preventing billions of dollars in weapons sales to Saudi Arabia and the U.S. threatened to veto a United Nations resolution condemning the Saudi kingdom's human rights abuses in Yemen.

And in 2017, Trump chose Saudi Arabia for his first presidential trip abroad.

Trump has been criticized in the past for being too susceptible to flattery, so he was overjoyed when Saudi officials lavished him with extravagant robes of cheetah and white tiger fur, along with a dagger sporting an ivory handle.

The administration didn't disclose the gifts (whose possession, according to a White House lawyer, likely violated the Endangered Species Act) to government accountability offices.

Now, a new report from Michael S. Schmidt of the New York Times, details the saga of what happened to the gifts in the final days after Trump's presidency.

The administration finally turned them over to the Government Services Administration instead of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (the correct agency), which eventually seized them.

But soon, experts discovered that the immensely wealthy Saudi royal family had gifted Trump with fake furs.

An Interior Department spokesperson said:

"Wildlife inspectors and special agents determined the linings of the robes were dyed to mimic tiger and cheetah patterns and were not comprised of protected species."

People couldn't resist mocking Trump.



For many, the exchange perfectly characterized Trump and his administration.


The millions of dollars Trump made from the Saudi government, however, were very real.

More from News

Country Singer Gavin Adcock went on a drunken rant over Beyonce's "Cowboy Carter" success.
Danielle Del Valle/Getty Images; Emma McIntyre/Getty Images for The Recording Academy

Country singer rants over Beyoncé album

Country singer Gavin Adcock became the title of his next album, “Own Worst Enemy,” after going on an unhinged rant about the legitimacy of Beyoncé's Grammy-winning and record-breaking Cowboy Carter in the country music genre.

Adcock, whose upcoming album is set for release next month, was filmed during a live performance last weekend, complaining that Beyoncé and her album are not “country music.”

Keep ReadingShow less
Dionne Warwick; Tiny Chef
Astrida Valigorsky/Getty Images; @ToonHive/X

Dionne Warwick Is Ready To Go To War With Nickelodeon Over 'Tiny Chef' Cancellation

You know your campaign against a show's cancellation is achieving widespread attention when you get people like venerated singer Dionne Warwick advocating for you.

Nickelodeon's The Tiny Chef Show was recently cancelled, much to the dismay of its viewers and creators. It was also a genuinely surprising decision, since the show has won an Emmy.

Keep ReadingShow less
Woman relaxing in sunhat and sunglasses
Photo by Jordan Bauer on Unsplash

People Explain Which 'Small Luxuries' They Can't Live Without

Many of us have committed to being fairly financially frugal and not overspending on silly, unnecessary things.

That is to say, sometimes, it's fun to splurge on something one time to see what it's like to experience that small luxury.

Keep ReadingShow less
two women in emotional distress seated on couch
Ben White on Unsplash

People Who've Experienced Grief Share The Most Tone-Deaf Things They've Heard

Grief, loss, trauma are all part of life. But for most people, the emotions and reactions that go with them are difficult to witness.

So they rely on platitudes to fill any holes in conversation. That's rarely a good idea.

Keep ReadingShow less
Donald Trump
Mehmet Eser/Middle East Images/AFP via Getty Images

Trump Demands 'Boss Of AT&T' Fix Equipment After Failed Conference Call In Bizarre Meltdown

When most of us have technical difficulties, we contact tech support or customer service.

But if you're President of the United States, just ranting on social media—then having your White House Press Secretary post a screenshot of your post on a social media platform people actually use—is apparently the answer.

Keep ReadingShow less