President Donald Trump was honored with a special gift from Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba on Friday when the two met for the first time at the White House.
Ishiba presented Trump with a golden samurai helmet, known as the “Eternal Helmet.” The gift was delivered as the two world leaders addressed the United States trade deficit with Japan, as Trump looks to impose tariffs as a means to bolster American manufacturing.
The samurai helmet was made by a company in Ishiba’s hometown of Tottori and was made in gold because of the popularity of the FX historical Japan-based drama “Shogun,” Kyodo News reported.
The order was placed with the company, Ningyouno Hanafusa Co., in November, one month after Ishiba took over the role as Prime Minister, according to Tomoya Hanafusa, the president of the company, who spoke with Kyodo News.
Hanafusa said that he was told when the order was placed that the helmet would go to a foreign VIP. Kyodo News reported that he is now “extremely grateful and happy” the gift was made by his company.
In total, the samurai helmet cost $1,000, or 168,000 yen, to make, according to the outlet.
As a gift for Ishiba, Trump gave the prime minister a copy of his book “Save America,” which features a photo from his first assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania.
In November 2016, after winning the White House for the first time, Trump was gifted two golden-painted golf clubs worth $3,755 by late Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. Abe was assassinated in 2022.
While the gift from Ishiba shows a continued positive relationship between Japan and the U.S., federal officials cannot keep personal gifts worth more than $415 and are given by foreign governments, according to U.S. law.
The White House has not yet commented on what will happen to the samurai helmet.