Vatican Rejects Trump’s Peace Board Invite — Diplomacy Shake-Up

The Vatican has officially declined an invitation to join President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace initiative, emphasizing that international crises should be addressed through the United Nations. According to Ireporter Online, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican’s Secretary of State, explained that the Holy See’s unique status distinguishes it from other countries, making participation in such a board inappropriate.

The Holy See will not participate in the Board of Peace because of its particular nature, which is evidently not that of other States,” Parolin said, adding that the UN should take the lead in managing global crises.

Trump extended the invitation to Pope Leo, the first American pope and a known critic of certain U.S. policies, earlier this year. The Board of Peace, initially created under Trump’s Gaza plan that facilitated a fragile ceasefire in October, was intended to oversee Gaza’s temporary governance. Its mission later expanded to address broader global conflicts, with Trump naming himself chair. The board is scheduled to hold its first meeting in Washington this Thursday, focusing on Gaza’s reconstruction.

Italy and the European Union have announced that their representatives will attend Thursday’s session as observers, as neither has formally joined the board.

Critics have raised concerns about the board’s structure, describing it as reminiscent of a colonial system due to the absence of Palestinian representation and the oversight of a foreign leader. While some of Washington’s Middle Eastern allies have participated, many Western allies have remained cautious, citing potential conflicts with UN authority.

The Gaza ceasefire has faced repeated violations since October, resulting in hundreds of Palestinian deaths and the deaths of four Israeli soldiers. Israel’s military operations in Gaza have reportedly killed more than 72,000 people, caused a widespread hunger crisis, and displaced the population. Human rights experts, scholars, and a UN inquiry have characterized the campaign as genocidal, although Israel maintains its operations are acts of self-defense following a 2023 attack by Hamas militants that left over 1,200 dead and more than 250 hostages taken.

Pope Leo has previously spoken out on the humanitarian situation in Gaza. Leading the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics, the pope seldom joins international boards, while the Vatican maintains an extensive diplomatic service and permanent observer status at the United Nations.