Holy See opts out of controversial U.S.-led council amid clashes on immigration and global crises
Vatican City – February 20, 2026 Pope Leo XIV has formally declined an invitation to join U.S. President Donald Trump’s newly formed “Board of Peace,” also known as the Peace Council, according to an announcement by Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin.
The decision highlights the Holy See’s reservations about the initiative’s potential to undermine the United Nations’ central role in managing global crises. Parolin described the board as having a “particular nature, which is evidently not that of other States,” expressing perplexity over certain aspects of the plan.
The Board of Peace, established by Trump earlier this year, was initially intended to oversee the reconstruction of Gaza following a U.N.-endorsed ceasefire and the region’s devastation in ongoing conflicts. However, its mandate has expanded to address broader international disputes, positioning it as a selective, fee-based forum chaired indefinitely by Trump himself.
Membership has drawn controversy, including leaders from authoritarian regimes such as Egypt’s Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly, Turkey’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Cambodia’s Prime Minister Hun Manet, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar, and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán.
Pope Leo XIV, the first American-born pontiff who ascended to the papacy in May 2025, received the invitation in late January. After weeks of deliberation, the Vatican opted out, emphasizing that “at the international level, it should above all be the U.N. that manages these crisis situations.”
The refusal aligns with ongoing tensions between the Pope and Trump, who have clashed repeatedly over issues such as immigration policies and foreign interventions.
The White House responded by calling the decision “deeply unfortunate,” with Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt asserting the board’s legitimacy, backed by “tens of member countries.”
Several other nations, including Britain, France, Norway, Italy, and Greece, have declined full membership or opted for observer status at the board’s inaugural meeting in Washington on Thursday.
As global leaders navigate the evolving landscape of international diplomacy, the Vatican’s stance underscores a commitment to multilateral institutions like the UN over unilateral or selective forums.
L’Union Suite will continue monitoring developments in U.S. foreign policy and their implications for global stability, particularly in regions like the Caribbean and Haiti.
