Several antiquities on loan from Israel to the United States since 2019 have been stuck for months at Mar-a-Lago, Donald Trump’s Florida residence, as authorities struggled to recover them. According to a report in Ha’aretzthe Israel Antiquities Authority had sent the objects to the White House under the Trump administration on the condition that they be returned within weeks, but they ended up following the former president to his private estate.
The report did not include a full inventory of the antiquities sought, but among them are ancient clay lamps that are part of Israel’s National Treasures collection. These were intended to be displayed at the traditional White House lighting event to recognize Hanukkah but were ultimately not displayed “due to a bureaucratic difficulty raised by the Americans”, according to Ha’aretz.
The Israeli antiquities authorities intended to send a representative to collect the items in person, rather than risking any damage that might result from shipping. However, the Covid-19 pandemic put all plans on hold. The Antiquities Authority instead asked Saul Fox, a prominent Jewish American donor to the governing body – who had attended the 2019 Hanukkah celebration with Trump – to take care of the items. Fox also supported the establishment of a National Center for Ancient Coins in Jerusalem that bears his name.
Israeli officials, however, learned several months ago that the antiquities had been held at Mar-a-Lago, Trump’s main residence since September 2019. According to Ha’aretz, it is not known if the former president was aware of their fate. Antiquities Authority director Eli Eskozido has asked the Israeli Foreign Ministry, the Minister of Strategic Affairs and David M. Friedman, former US Ambassador to Israel, for help in recovering the objects.
As part of a federal investigation into Trump’s handling of classified documents, FBI agents raided his golden residence and private club last August when they found boxes of files stored in a room baths of Mar-a-Lago, among other unusual places. Asked about the antiquities on loan, a source said Ha’aretz that he would not be surprised if “the items sought by Israel also end up in a bathroom there”.
