Trump could still lead Board of Peace after term ends, US says

WASHINGTON – US President Donald Trump could still lead his proposed Board of Peace after he leaves the White House, a US official said.

The chairmanship is Mr Trump’s to hold until he resigns it, the official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said on Jan 20.

A future US president could choose to appoint or designate the official US representative to the board, the official added.

The possibility of a chair-for-life status for Mr Trump is the latest wrinkle in the creation of the signature diplomatic initiative that is drawing resistance from fellow Group of Seven leaders, and comes as the administration is seeking to clarify who will be on the board, how it will be run and how it would function. 

Last week, the White House announced multiple representatives on the executive board – including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, special envoy Steve Witkoff, and Mr Trump’s son-in-law, Mr Jared Kushner – but it was unclear if they counted as representatives of the US or were placed in their personal capacity.

Further complicating Mr Trump’s pitch is a draft charter seen by Bloomberg that asks countries to contribute at least US$1 billion
(S$1.3 billion)
to secure a permanent spot
on the board. That draft also appeared to suggest Mr Trump himself would control the money.

Asked whether the US$1 billion is an entry fee for the board, the US official said it was not, and that countries that make significant contributions to projects and want to retain an oversight role would be allowed to stay involved.

Earlier on Jan 20, Mr Trump suggested the Board of Peace could supplant an ineffective United Nations, while asserting that the decades-old outfit still could assist in his peacekeeping efforts. 

“The UN just has not been very helpful. I am a big fan of the UN potential, but it has never lived up to its potential,” Mr Trump told reporters on Jan 20 at the White House.

“You got to let the UN continue, because the potential is so great.”

Mr Trump added that he wished “we did not need a board of peace” but that “with all the wars I settled, the United Nations never helped me on one war”.

The UN did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Mr Trump’s remarks on Jan 20.

The President made a rare appearance to the White House briefing room ahead of his scheduled departure on the night of Jan 20 from Washington for the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, a gathering at which he had hoped to hold a signing ceremony on Jan 22 launching the board – a prospect that now seems unlikely to quickly materialise.

Mr Trump has invited dozens of world leaders to the board, a key element of his 20-point plan to bring a lasting peace in Gaza. Few countries, so far, have confirmed they will join. Some key allied leaders outright declined, drawing rebukes from Mr Trump.

The US president threatened France with a 200 per cent tariff on champagne
and mocked its president Emmanuel Macron, after he rejected an invitation.

Mr Trump also shared a text message from Mr Macron in which the French leader invited him to have dinner in Paris on Jan 22 and hold talks on a range of issues, including Mr Trump’s desire to take over the Danish territory of Greenland
.

Mr Trump’s Board of Peace proposal has been clouded by worries over its composition, role and the US president’s grip on the initiative. Mr Trump late on Jan 19 confirmed that he had invited Russian President Vladimir Putin to join the board, even as the US tries to broker a deal to end the Kremlin’s invasion of Ukraine. 

Some nations worry the the board will enjoy a mandate that encompasses much more than Gaza’s reconstruction and could set the stage for an alternative or rival international body to the UN, which Mr Trump has long assailed. 

UN spokesman Farhan Haq told reporters on Jan 19 that the UN Security Council had authorised the Board of Peace only for its work on Gaza, and that the organisation did not want to discuss further operations that have been circulating over the past few days. 

“We would have to see in terms of details what the Board of Peace becomes as it actually is established to know what sort of relationship we would have with it,” Mr Haq said.

The plan also has been criticised by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who said the details of the board had not been coordinated with his country – a rare note of discord from a leader generally in lockstep with Mr Trump. 

In addition, while decisions would be taken by a majority, they would be subject to the chairman’s approval, according to that draft. Mr Trump would serve as the inaugural chairman, under the draft charter, appearing to grant the US president ultimate decision-making authority. 

European allies were working to modify the terms and coordinate a response, people familiar with the matter said, and seeking to persuade Arab nations to also lobby Mr Trump for changes.

More broadly, Mr Trump is pushing ahead with plans for the second phase of his Gaza peace deal, despite numerous obstacles, including the refusal of Hamas to disarm.

A key part of that second phase involves a team of technocrats helping run Gaza, with diplomats hoping to see the restoration of day-to-day governance and public services under the broader oversight of the Board of Peace. 

Still, Israel has voiced scepticism about pushing ahead with Hamas still in control of about half of Gaza and refusing to relinquish its weapons. Mr Trump has said he expects Hamas to disarm and threatened devastating consequences for the group if it fails to do so. BLOOMBERG