Trump Puts a High Price on Peace: One Billion for a Permanent Seat on the Peace Council

Criticism is pouring in from all sides

Trump’s initiative has drawn fierce criticism from numerous human rights experts, diplomats, and international organizations. Several have accused the U.S. president of seeking to build an alternative or rival to the United Nations, which he has long criticized for its alleged inefficiency. Fox News political analyst Guy Benson reacted on X, stating: “I like the idea of a counterweight to the corrupt and often disgusting UN. But an admission fee that Trump himself would control? If that detail is true, all potential members would be justified in flatly refusing.”

Several diplomats denounced the proposed structure as a “Trump version of the UN” that ignores the foundations of the United Nations Charter, according to remarks reported by Reuters. A diplomat familiar with the invitation letter described it as a “bold new approach to resolving global conflicts,” highlighting the initiative’s ambition. But this ambition is seen by many as an attempt to circumvent existing multilateral institutions in order to establish a U.S.-dominated international order funded by the wealthiest nations.

A Trump-style UN. The very idea makes me sick. Trump wants to replace the UN with his own private club, where he sets the rules, chooses the members, and keeps the money. It’s pure madness. It’s a return to the colonial era, to a time when a few powers decided the world’s fate in hushed salons while the people suffered the consequences. And the scariest part is that some countries might actually join. Just to have the privilege of being part of the inner circle of the powerful. This marks the end of the ideal of an international community where every voice matters.

Accusations of Neocolonialism

Many human rights advocates and experts in international politics have compared Trump’s plan to a colonial structure, particularly regarding its intended role in the governance of Gaza. The involvement of former British Prime Minister Tony Blair—known for his role in the Iraq War and Britain’s history of imperialism in the Middle East—has fueled this criticism. The absence of Palestinian representatives on the executive council, despite its direct role in governing Gaza, was highlighted by Reuters as particularly problematic.

The fact that Trump, a U.S. president, oversees a council tasked with governing a foreign territory has been described as a clear manifestation of neocolonialism. The control exercised by the United States over a Muslim Arab territory, with the help of a few select international partners, is reminiscent of the darkest chapters of 20th-century colonial history. This dynamic of asymmetrical power is particularly painful in a context where Gaza continues to suffer the devastating consequences of a conflict that has claimed more than 71,000 lives, according to the Palestinian enclave’s Ministry of Health, with no distinction made between civilians and combatants.

A list of prestigious but controversial names

The White House has announced the seven initial members of the executive board of the Gaza Peace Council, a list that includes American politicians, international figures, and billionaires. Marco Rubio, U.S. Secretary of State; Steve Witkoff, Trump’s special envoy; Jared Kushner, the U.S. president’s son-in-law and advisor; Tony Blair, former British prime minister; Ajay Banga, president of the World Bank; Marc Rowan, billionaire financier; and Robert Gabriel, Trump’s advisor, make up this select group. Nikolay Mladenov, former UN envoy for the Middle East, has been appointed High Representative for Gaza.

The U.S. military also plays a central role, with Major General Jasper Jeffers, former commander of U.S. Special Operations, appointed commander of the International Stabilization Force in Gaza. This structure, heavily dominated by the United States and its close allies, deliberately excludes Palestinians from decisions concerning their own territory—an exclusion that has been strongly criticized by many international observers. The Gaza Executive Council, a separate 11-member body intended to support the Palestinian technocratic leadership, includes figures such as Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan—an inclusion that the State of Israel has publicly contested.

Jared Kushner. Tony Blair. A Wall Street billionaire. U.S. generals. It’s the cast of a dystopian movie about a world takeover. Not a single Palestinian voice in the decisions about Gaza. Not a single person who knows the reality on the ground, who has lived through the bombings, who has lost their home and loved ones. Just people sitting comfortably in their air-conditioned offices in Washington and New York, deciding the fate of millions of people they will never understand. It is utter arrogance. Unbearable smugness.

Guests are taking a cautious approach

Several world leaders have confirmed that they have received invitation letters from Donald Trump to join this controversial Peace Council. The presidents of France, Germany, Australia, and Canada are among the recipients, according to four diplomatic sources cited by Reuters. The offices of the Egyptian and Turkish presidents have also confirmed receiving invitations, while a European Union official stated that European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen had been invited to represent the EU. Argentina has publicly accepted Trump’s invitation, with President Javier Milei stating that “this council will be one of a kind; there has never been anything like it.”

However, reactions remain cautious in many European capitals, which must balance their desire to cooperate with the United States against their commitment to traditional multilateralism. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed reservations about the composition of the Gaza Executive Council, noting that it had not been coordinated with his government and contradicted his policy—a likely reference to the presence of the Turkish foreign minister. These mixed reactions highlight the diplomatic challenges the U.S. initiative will face in establishing its international legitimacy.

An Explosive Regional Context

The launch of this Peace Council comes amid a particularly volatile situation in the Middle East. Gaza has been under a fragile ceasefire since October 2025, but violations persist on both sides. More than 450 Palestinians, including over 100 children, have been killed in Israeli strikes since the start of the truce, while the Israeli military reports the deaths of three of its soldiers in attacks by Palestinian armed groups, according to figures reported by Reuters. The Israeli offensive on Gaza, which began following the attacks of October 7, 2023—in which 1,200 people were killed and 251 hostages were taken, according to Israeli authorities—has triggered a devastating humanitarian crisis.

A UN Security Council resolution, adopted in mid-November 2025, authorized the Peace Council and the countries working with it to establish this International Stabilization Force in Gaza. However, the lack of meaningful Palestinian representation in decision-making and U.S. dominance over the process continue to raise questions about the long-term viability of this peace initiative. The conflict has already been described as genocide by several human rights experts, academics, and a UN investigation—accusations that Israel firmly rejects, citing its right to self-defense.

A Dangerous Precedent

Donald Trump’s initiative to create a Peace Council, with permanent membership contingent on a $1 billion contribution, sets a dangerous precedent in international relations. By monetizing access to peace governance, the United States risks creating a two-tiered system in which only the wealthiest countries will have a say in global conflicts. This approach runs counter to the founding principles of the UN, which strives to give all countries an equal voice—regardless of their size or wealth—in the resolution of international conflicts.

The concentration of power in the hands of a single individual—the President of the United States—with the ability to approve all decisions and control finances, represents a radical departure from democratic models of international governance. As the world continues to face multiple crises—from Ukraine to climate change to growing economic inequalities—the creation of a parallel organization dominated by the United States could further fragment the already fragile international system. The coming weeks will be crucial in determining whether the invited countries will agree to join this controversial council or whether they will prefer to remain loyal to existing multilateral structures.

One billion dollars. That is the price Trump places on peace. On dignity. On the equality of nations. It is an insult to all those who believe in a more just world. To all those who have worked for decades to build institutions where every voice counts. Trump is trying to wipe out years of progress, diplomacy, and hope. And he’s doing it with arrogance, with that characteristic contempt for the weak. But I want to believe that the world will not allow itself to be bought. That peace is not for sale. That the victims in Gaza and in all the world’s conflicts deserve better than to be used as bargaining chips among the powerful. We must fight. Against this idea. Against this logic. So that peace remains a right, not a privilege.