US President Donald Trump is seeking to launch an ambitious new international body, the so‑called Board of Peace, and has asked governments around the world to buy into the project – in some cases literally. According to a charter circulated to foreign capitals and seen by reporters, countries willing to pay up to 1 billion dollars can secure a permanent seat on the board, a structure that would be chaired personally by Trump and designed to outlast his time in the White House.

The initiative, framed as a vehicle to promote global stability and post‑conflict reconstruction, has already drawn a mix of enthusiasm, skepticism and outright refusal from world leaders. It also raises complex questions about power, money and the future of multilateral diplomacy.

From Gaza Reconstruction To Global Mandate

The Board of Peace was initially conceived as a mechanism to oversee the rebuilding of Gaza after the latest round of devastating conflict. But the charter’s language makes clear that its ambitions extend far beyond the Palestinian territory.

In its preamble, the document describes the Board of Peace as “an international organisation that seeks to promote stability, restore dependable and lawful governance, and secure enduring peace in areas affected or threatened by conflict.” It pledges to undertake “peace‑building functions in accordance with international law,” leaving the door open to involvement in crises well outside the Middle East.

That broad mandate positions the board as a potential rival or alternative to existing institutions such as the United Nations and the World Bank, which already play central roles in conflict resolution and reconstruction. The charter does not spell out how the new body would coordinate with, or differ from, those established organisations.

Trump At The Center Of The Structure

At the heart of the project is Trump himself. Under the charter, he would serve as chairman of the Board of Peace while also acting “separately” as the representative of the United States. The document grants him sweeping authority over the institution’s internal architecture.

“The chairman shall have exclusive authority to create, modify or dissolve subsidiary entities as necessary or appropriate to fulfil the Board of Peace’s mission,” the charter states. Trump would also appoint the members of an executive board, described as “leaders of global stature,” each serving two‑year terms but subject to removal at his discretion.

The chairman’s position is designed to be remarkably durable. The charter says the chair can be replaced only in the event of “voluntary resignation or as a result of incapacity.” A US official has confirmed that Trump could retain the chairmanship even after leaving office, “until he resigns it,” though a future American president would be free to name a different US representative to the board.

This arrangement effectively separates the leadership of the Board of Peace from the normal electoral cycle in Washington, giving Trump a potentially long‑term platform in global affairs regardless of his domestic political fortunes.

Membership: Invitation Only, With A Billion‑Dollar Shortcut

Membership in the Board of Peace is not open to all. Countries must be invited by the US president and would be represented at the board by their head of state or government. Each member state is supposed to serve a term of no more than three years.

However, the charter carves out a striking exception. The three‑year limit “shall not apply to member states that contribute more than 1,000,000,000 US dollars in cash funds to the Board of Peace within the first year of the charter’s entry into force.” In other words, a billion‑dollar contribution buys permanent membership.

A US official has stressed that membership itself “does not carry any mandatory funding obligation beyond whatever a state or partner chooses to contribute voluntarily.” But the explicit link between a 1‑billion‑dollar payment and permanent status has fueled criticism that the board risks becoming a pay‑to‑play club rather than a principled peace initiative.

The board is expected to hold annual meetings, with decisions taken by majority vote. In the event of a tie, the chairman – Trump – would cast the deciding vote, further underscoring his central role.

The Executive Board: A Mix Of Politicians, Financiers And Loyalists

The executive board, a smaller leadership group within the organisation, would also be chaired by Trump and include seven other members. According to the charter, they are:

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio

Steve Witkoff, Trump’s special negotiator

Jared Kushner, Trump’s son‑in‑law

Tony Blair, former UK prime minister

Marc Rowan, a billionaire US financier

Ajay Banga, president of the World Bank

Robert Gabriel, a close Trump aide on the National Security Council

The lineup blends political figures, Trump confidants and heavyweight financial and development players. The inclusion of Blair and Banga suggests an attempt to lend international and technocratic credibility, while the presence of Kushner and other loyalists signals that Trump intends to keep tight control over the board’s direction.

Who Has Been Invited – And Who Is Saying Yes

Dozens of countries have reported receiving invitations, spanning close US allies and strategic rivals alike. China has been invited, though its foreign ministry has responded cautiously, stressing that Beijing will continue to defend an international system “with the United Nations at its core.”

Both Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky are on the invitation list, despite Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine. That dual outreach is framed by Trump’s team as evidence that the Board of Peace aims to bring adversaries to the same table, but it has also triggered unease among Western governments.

Some leaders have already signaled their intention to join. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, one of Trump’s staunchest supporters in Europe, has embraced the initiative. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev, both close to Washington under Trump, have also agreed to participate.

The United Arab Emirates, a key US partner in the Gulf, has said it will join. Canada has likewise agreed to take part, while making clear it will not pay the 1‑billion‑dollar fee for permanent membership.

Who Is Staying Out – And Why

Not all traditional US allies are on board. France has indicated it will not join the Board of Peace, prompting an immediate backlash from Trump, who threatened to impose steep tariffs on French wine in response. The episode highlights how the initiative is already entangled with Trump’s combative approach to trade and diplomacy.

In Kyiv, Zelensky has publicly questioned the wisdom of sitting on a council alongside Russia while the war continues. He has said it would be “very hard” to participate under those conditions, and Ukrainian diplomats are reported to be exploring possible compromises or alternative arrangements.

Britain has echoed those concerns. A Downing Street spokesperson said London was “concerned” that Putin had been invited, adding that “Putin is the aggressor in an illegal war against Ukraine, and he has shown time and time again he is not serious about peace.” That stance reflects a broader unease in parts of Europe about granting Moscow a prominent role in any new peace‑branded forum without concrete changes on the ground.

What Happens Next

Under the charter, the Board of Peace will formally come into force once three states express their consent to be bound by its terms. With several governments already signaling their willingness to join, that threshold is likely to be met quickly.