US President Donald Trump. Photo: Collected

WASHINGTON, United States, Jan 19, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - US President Donald 
Trump's government has asked countries to pay $1.0 billion for a permanent 
spot on his "Board of Peace" aimed at resolving conflicts, according to its 
charter, seen Monday by AFP.

The White House has asked various world leaders to sit on the board, chaired 
by Trump himself, including Russian President Vladimir Putin, Hungarian 
premier Viktor Orban and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney.

Member countries -- represented on the board by their head of state -- would 
be allowed to join for three years -- or longer if they paid more than $1.0 
billion within the first year, the charter says.

"Each Member State shall serve a term of no more than three years from this 
Charter's entry into force, subject to renewal by the Chairman," the board's 
draft charter says.

"The three-year membership term shall not apply to Member States that 
contribute more than USD $1,000,000,000 in cash funds to the Board of Peace 
within the first year of the Charter's entry into force."

The board was originally conceived to oversee the rebuilding of Gaza, but its 
charter does not appear to limit its role to the occupied Palestinian 
territory.

The White House said there would be a main board, a Palestinian committee of 
technocrats meant to govern devastated Gaza, and a second "executive board" 
that appears designed to have a more advisory role.

"The Board of Peace is an international organization that seeks to promote 
stability, restore dependable and lawful governance, and secure enduring 
peace in areas affected or threatened by conflict," the charter says.

- 'Failed institutions' -

It appears to take a swipe at international institutions such as the United 
Nations, saying that the board should have "the courage to depart from 
approaches and institutions that have too often failed."

Trump has regularly criticized the United Nations and announced this month 
that his country will withdraw from 66 global organizations and treaties -- 
roughly half affiliated with the UN.

Membership of the board would be "limited to States invited to participate by 
the Chairman," according to the draft charter.

Trump would have the power to remove member states from the board, subject to 
a veto by two-third of members, and choose his replacement should he leave 
his role as chairman.

The "Board of Peace" began to take shape on Saturday when the leaders of 
Egypt, Turkey, Argentina and Canada were asked to join.

Trump also named as members Secretary of State Marco Rubio, former British 
prime minister Tony Blair, senior negotiator Steve Witkoff and his son-in-law 
Jared Kushner.

Israel has objected to the line-up of a "Gaza executive board" to operate 
under the body, which includes Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and 
Qatari diplomat Ali Al-Thawadi.