Trump could lead his Board of Peace for life after leaving White House, US official says
Donald Trump’s signature diplomatic initiative is drawing resistance from fellow leaders who see it as an undisguised challenge to the UN
US President Donald Trump could still lead his proposed Board of Peace after he leaves the White House, a US official has said.
The chairmanship would be Trump’s to hold until he resigns it, the official said on Tuesday on the condition of anonymity. 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 Trump was the latest wrinkle in the creation of the signature diplomatic initiative that is drawing resistance from fellow Group of Seven (G7) leaders, and comes as the administration was seeking to clarify who would be on the board, how it would 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 Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner - but it was unclear if they counted as representatives of the US or were placed in their personal capacity.
Further complicating Trump’s pitch is a draft charter seen by Bloomberg that asks countries to contribute at least US$1 billion to secure a permanent spot on the board. That draft also appeared to suggest Trump himself would control the money.
Asked whether the US$1 billion was 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.