Pope Leo XIV delivered a diplomatic rebuke to President Donald Trump on Monday, Feb. 16, 2026, turning down an invitation to take part in the administration’s controversial Board of Peace as the Vatican cautioned that the initiative could undermine the United Nations.
Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican’s Secretary of State and top diplomatic official, said the Holy See “will not participate in the Board of Peace because of its distinctive character, which he noted is clearly different from that of other states.” The announcement came just three days before the board’s first scheduled gathering in Washington on Thursday, Feb. 19.
The pope, who oversees a global Catholic population of 1.4 billion, received the invitation in January as Trump expanded the board’s mission beyond overseeing Gaza’s temporary governance. Trump presides over the board with wide veto powers and full authority to decide which nations may join, describing it as a forum for addressing global conflicts and guiding Gaza’s reconstruction after the Israel-Hamas war.
“One concern is that on the international stage, it should primarily be the UN that handles these crisis situations,” Parolin said to reporters. “This is one of the points we have emphasized.”
The Vatican’s refusal represents a significant diplomatic setback for Trump, who unveiled the Board of Peace initiative last fall and formally launched the body last month at the World Economic Forum in Davos. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt called the Vatican’s position “deeply unfortunate,” defending the administration’s extensive reconstruction agenda for Gaza.
“I don’t think peace should be partisan or political or controversial,” Leavitt said. “This is a legitimate organization involving dozens of member countries from around the globe.”
Pope Leo XIV, the first American to lead the Catholic Church, has emerged as a vocal critic of several Trump administration policies. He has repeatedly denounced civilian suffering and humanitarian conditions in Gaza following Israel’s retaliation for the Hamas-led assault that killed roughly 1,200 people in Israel. The Board of Peace has urged Hamas to disarm and has coordinated rebuilding plans, with Trump announcing $5 billion in pledges from board members for reconstruction.
The Vatican’s skepticism reflects concerns shared by several Western allies. Italy and the European Union planned to attend Thursday’s session only as observers and have not formally joined. France, Denmark, Norway, Slovenia, Sweden, and the United Kingdom have either rejected invitations or voiced strong reservations about the project.
Human rights groups have criticized the board’s structure, arguing that Trump’s leadership of a body tasked with administering a foreign territory resembles a colonial framework. They also highlight the limited Palestinian involvement. Trump holds sole veto power and exclusive authority to invite members, and his role as chair lacks a term limit—by charter, he may remain indefinitely, even after leaving office.
The board’s administrative center operates out of the newly renamed Donald J. Trump Institute of Peace, formerly the U.S. Institute of Peace. Russia, China, and Turkey were invited to take part, though Russia confirmed this week it would not join Thursday’s meeting. While some Middle Eastern nations have become members, many Western countries remain hesitant, citing fears that the board could weaken the U.N. framework.
The Vatican oversees a broad diplomatic network and holds permanent observer status at the United Nations. The pope seldom joins such international bodies directly, generally favoring established diplomatic channels and the U.N. system.
A senior Trump administration official told reporters that the Pope and Vatican “are welcome to join the many other nations who are committed to the Board of Peace,” though the official declined to provide details about diplomatic communications.
President Trump convened the board’s first meeting on Thursday, Feb. 19, at the U.S. Institute of Peace in Washington, D.C., gathering representatives from more than 40 nations for a three-hour session focused on Gaza’s reconstruction and broader regional stability. Trump announced a $10 billion U.S. contribution, with other members pledging an additional $7 billion. Five nations—Albania, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, and Morocco—agreed to supply troops for a 20,000-member International Stabilization Force, while Egypt and Jordan committed to training 12,000 Palestinian police officers. The first deployment is scheduled to begin in Rafah in southern Gaza as rebuilding efforts start.
In his remarks, Trump also addressed escalating tensions with Iran, saying a decision on possible military action could come within “10 to 15 days,” adding, “We may have to take it a step further, or we may not. Maybe we’re going to make a deal.”
The Board of Peace—described by Trump as a potential successor to the United Nations—was formally established in January 2026 at the World Economic Forum in Davos, with 25 of 62 invited countries signing its founding charter.
The Vatican’s decision to stay out highlights growing international friction over how to approach the Gaza crisis and whether Trump’s new entity will complement or compete with long-standing institutions like the United Nations. With Pope Leo XIV joining other skeptics, Trump’s Board of Peace faces significant hurdles in securing legitimacy among key Western partners.
