The Rolex desk clock and the gold ingot delivered to the White House on November 4, 2025 by a delegation of Swiss business leaders were «a gift to the American people», not to US President Donald Trump.

That was the clarification offered by Helene Budliger Artieda, director of Switzerland’s State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO, the federal agency responsible for trade policy), in an interview with Bloomberg journalist Francine Lacqua.

Artieda on the gold bar and the Rolex for Trump: «It was a gift to the American people»

Speaking at the Bloomberg New Economy Forum held on October 14, 2026 in New Delhi, India, Artieda said:

«It was a gift to the American people, duly registered with the White House, and one that will end up in a presidential library if all goes well. It is a private-sector initiative, but I am confident that the limits set by law were respected.»

The gift immediately triggered controversy in Switzerland, with some members of parliament calling for an investigation into suspected bribery. A parliamentary report on the affair is due shortly.

«I think the most important point is that the Swiss government gave nothing»

Artieda has no doubts on that score. «The executives assured me they had put the matter to their respective compliance functions», she said, stressing that «the Swiss government gave nothing away» and that «I believe this is the most important point».

The desk Rolex and the gold bar were handed over to the White House last year, after the United States announced it would impose 39% tariffs on goods imported from Switzerland.

Artieda played a central role in the negotiations that followed Trump’s announcement, helping to reach an agreement that brought the tariff down to 15%.

Speaking to Bloomberg, the official confirmed that «the United States has honored that agreement», adding that Switzerland wants «certainty, and calmer waters».

Talks between Washington and Bern are continuing, she said, with the aim of reaching a more stable and legally binding arrangement. «Keeping calm, acting with clear heads and trying to work out how to make this relationship beneficial for both sides helped us reach a deal that set overall tariffs at 15%», she concluded.

A Rolex and a gold bar worth roughly 100,000 Swiss francs

The delivery of the Rolex and the gold ingot made headlines well beyond Switzerland.

According to the Swiss news agency ATS, cited by public broadcaster RSI, the combined value of the gifts was around 100,000 Swiss francs (more than $100,000). The delegation of business leaders that presented them to Trump included representatives of companies such as Rolex, Richemont, MSC, Partners Group, Mercuria and MKS.

Editor’s note

This article was originally published in Italian on money.it by Laura Naka Antonelli on October 14, 2026 as «La Svizzera si difende, “Rolex e oro regalati al popolo americano, non a Trump”». It has been translated and adapted for an international audience by the Money.it International desk.