Trump puts $1B price tag on permanent seats in Gaza 'Board of Peace': reports

WASHINGTON, DC:  President Donald Trump is reportedly proposing a $1 billion fee for countries seeking permanent membership in a newly formed international 'Board of Peace,' according to a draft charter cited in a Bloomberg News report, The Atlantic and The Hill.

The board is part of Trump’s broader Gaza initiative following the Israel-Hamas conflict, with the former president positioned to serve as its inaugural chairman. The proposed body is intended to oversee post-war reconstruction efforts and help implement Trump’s 20-point Gaza peace plan.

Trump’s Board of Peace and membership requirements

Under the draft charter, countries seeking to join the Board of Peace would be required to pay a membership fee, with a $1 billion contribution granting exemption from term limits, according to reports published Saturday, January 17.

The charter states that Trump would serve as chairman with final authority over membership approvals and board decisions. The board would become operational once at least three member states agree to its terms.

While most member states would serve renewable terms of up to three years, the document specifies that countries contributing more than $1 billion in cash during the board’s first year would not be subject to this restriction. Member states would be allowed to vote on decisions, though the chairman would retain final approval power.

The draft charter does not clarify how the $1 billion membership fee would be allocated. Reports note that funding for the board’s operations would rely entirely on voluntary contributions from member states, governments, organizations, or other sources.

The charter’s preamble states that the board aims to move away from international approaches and institutions that have “too often failed,” language that observers have interpreted as a critique of the United Nations.

Gaza peace plan and international invitations

While the draft charter reportedly does not explicitly reference the Gaza Strip, the Board of Peace was created to oversee the implementation of Trump’s Gaza peace plan, which followed a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas.

Trump recently announced the start of Phase 2 of the plan, which calls for Hamas to disarm and for Israel to withdraw its forces from Gaza. He also confirmed that the board was formally established this week and named several individuals slated to serve on it.

Those named include Secretary of State Marco Rubio, special envoy Steve Witkoff, Jared Kushner, former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair, World Bank President Ajay Banga, and investors Robert Gabriel and Marc Rowan.

The White House has extended invitations to several countries to join the board. Argentine President Javier Milei confirmed his acceptance on X, calling it an “honor” to join as a founding member and sharing a copy of the invitation.

Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty confirmed that President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi received an invitation, while Turkish officials said President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was also invited. Additional invitations were reportedly sent to Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Bulgaria, and the Netherlands, as well as to Yakir Gabay and UN Middle East peace coordinator Sigrid Kaag.