 "Will countries have to pay $1 billion to join Trump-backed peace board?")
A draft charter suggested that countries may be required to pay $1 billion to secure a place on a proposed peace board backed by President Donald Trump, cited Bloomberg News. The report, published on Saturday, said the plan outlines financial terms and leadership roles for the new body.
According to the draft charter, each member state would serve a term of up to three years, with any renewal requiring the chairman’s approval, the report said.
“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 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 draft says, according to the outlet.
According to the report, President Trump would serve as the inaugural chairman of the peace board. It added that each member state would serve a term of no more than three years from the charter’s entry into force, with any renewal subject to approval by the chairman.
White House rejects membership fee claim
The White House responded by disputing the report’s central claim. It described the coverage as “misleading” and said there is no minimum membership fee required to join what it referred to as the “Board of Peace”.
“This simply offers permanent membership to partner countries who demonstrate deep commitment to peace, security, and prosperity,” the White House said in a post on X.
This is misleading. There is no minimum membership fee to join the Board of Peace.
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) January 18, 2026
This simply offers permanent membership to partner countries who demonstrate deep commitment to peace, security, and prosperity. https://t.co/c4bVUBfnW8
Quick Reads
View AllThe US State Department, responding to a query from Reuters, pointed to earlier social media posts by President Trump and his special envoy Steve Witkoff about the board. Those posts did not mention any specific membership fee.
Board of Peace
The Board of Peace received UN Security Council backing in November as part of Trump’s 20-point Gaza plan. However, the draft charter does not mention Gaza, even though the resolution grants the board a two-year mandate that can be extended to December 2027.
Instead, the preamble points to a wider break from traditional multilateral systems. It argues that lasting peace needs pragmatic, common-sense solutions and calls for a more agile international peace body, echoing Trump’s repeated criticism of the UN as slow and ineffective.
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