Pope Leo XIV delivered a striking remark after President Donald Trump extended an invitation for him to join the ‘Board of Peace’ that Trump is proposing.
Since late last year, Trump has been actively working on peace initiatives, particularly focusing on strategies to bring an end to the ongoing conflict in Gaza, a plan that has received backing from the United Nations.
The United States’ effort to bring peace to Gaza is outlined in a comprehensive 20-page peace plan. This plan was developed with input and collaboration from several countries, including Qatar, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Turkey, Pakistan, and Indonesia. The initiative is spearheaded by a group known as the Board of Peace.
This Board of Peace is under the leadership of Trump and prominent U.S. officials.
However, the Vatican will not have representation on this board, as Pope Leo has decisively declined the invitation to participate, according to a senior official from the Vatican.
The purpose of the U.S.-chaired Board is to offer strategic guidance, mobilize resources, and more, to help Gaza progress towards reconstruction and stability.
The Board’s oversight structure comprises an Executive Board, senior advisors, and other members, with the aim of fostering peace. Following a meeting on February 19, Trump announced that they had gathered $5 million in pledges.
According to the Independent, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican’s secretary of state, mentioned that the Pope had concerns regarding the board’s structure.
His concerns seem to revolve around the U.S. taking the leading role in managing international crises, such as the conflict in Gaza.
Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican’s secretary of state, expressed to reporters that the United Nations should be in charge rather than the U.S.
“At the international level, it should above all be the U.N. that manages these crisis situations,” he stated to reporters, as reported by Reuters.
Pope Leo has long been critical of Trump’s policies, so his refusal to join the board might not be surprising to many.
The Vatican isn’t the only entity to have declined the invitation. Although approximately 60 countries were invited to the meeting aimed at restructuring Gaza’s leadership, only a few formally agreed to participate.
Currently, the Board includes U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff, former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair, Apollo Global Management CEO Marc Rowan, World Bank Group President Ajay Banga, U.S. Deputy National Security Adviser Robert Gabriel Jr., and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner.
“The Board of Peace will prove to be the most consequential International Body in History, and it is my honor to serve as its Chairman,” Trump stated on Truth Social on February 15.
There are also concerns regarding the inclusion of certain international leaders invited to the Board, such as Russia’s Vladimir Putin, involved in a conflict with Ukraine since 2022, and Israel’s Benjamin Netanyahu, who has been engaged in conflict with Palestine for many years.
Despite these concerns, nations like Armenia, Egypt, and the United Arab Emirates have expressed interest in joining the peace initiative.
The White House has been approached for comment.