Pope Leo XIV Will Not Be Joining US President Donald Trump’s Board Of Peace

Pope Leo XIV will not be joining US President Donald Trump’s “Board of Peace,” Vatican’s top diplomat says calls on United Nations to handle global crises Rome/Washington The Vatican has formally declined an invitation for Pope Leo XIV to join U.S. President Donald Trump’s “Board of Peace,” with the Holy See’s top diplomat saying that responsibility for managing international crises should rest primarily with the United Nations rather than a new U.S.‑led body.
The decision was confirmed on Tuesday by Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican Secretary of State, who spoke to reporters in Rome about the Vatican’s concerns over the initiative’s structure, purpose and implications for existing international institutions.
The Board of Peace was launched by President Trump in January initially intended to oversee a fragile truce and reconstruction plan in the Gaza Strip following the long conflict between Israel and Hamas, but since expanded by the administration into a broader international peace‑making entity that could take on other global crises. Pope Leo the first U.S.‑born pontiff, elected in 2023 was reportedly invited to join the initiative as a spiritual and diplomatic participant. However, the Vatican has opted out and will not participate, even as an observer, citing “critical issues” that have not been resolved. Parolin said that one of the Vatican’s principal concerns is that “at the international level it should above all be the UN that manages these crisis situations,” and that the board’s current design leaves the Holy See “perplexed” and unable to join in good conscience. The Vatican’s stance highlights its longstanding support for the United Nations as the primary multilateral institution responsible for addressing international conflict, humanitarian emergencies and reconstruction efforts.
Parolin stressed that, while the Vatican supports peace efforts globally, it prefers to work within established international frameworks rather than new initiatives that might duplicate or undermine the authority of the UN. Italy and the European Union have similarly stated they plan to attend the Board of Peace’s inaugural meeting in Washington this week but only as observers, not full members. Western allies including the United Kingdom, France and Norway have declined invitations outright, reflecting unease among traditional partners about the board’s expanded role beyond Gaza. Meanwhile, some Middle Eastern countries and others have signed on to participate in the initiative, but the Vatican’s refusal joins a wider chorus of caution over whether the board could duplicate or weaken the UN’s central role.
The Board of Peace initiative has triggered debate among diplomats and international law experts. Critics say:
Its evolving mandate beyond Gaza risks creating parallel peace structures that might undermine the United Nations’ legitimacy.
The board’s leadership structure, with Trump as permanent chair, and invitation mix have raised questions about its neutrality and effectiveness. Some human rights groups have cautioned that bypassing established multilateral institutions could erode coordinated global responses to conflict and humanitarian crises.
Despite the Vatican’s decision not to participate, the Board of Peace is expected to hold its first meeting in Washington this Thursday, with Trump and other participants discussing reconstruction efforts in Gaza and laying out early plans for the initiative’s broader agenda. The Vatican, for its part, reiterated its preference for multilateral diplomacy rooted in international law and United Nations leadership, even as world powers explore new mechanisms for conflict resolution and peacebuilding.