$1 billion gets a permanent seat on Trump's Board of Peace for Gaza, as
India and others invited
[January 19, 2026]
By CARA ANNA and JOSH BOAK
At least eight more countries say the United States has invited them to
join President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace, a new body of world
leaders meant to oversee next steps in Gaza that shows ambitions for a
broader mandate in global affairs. Two of the countries, Hungary and
Vietnam, said they have accepted.
A $1 billion contribution secures permanent membership on the Trump-led
board instead of a three-year appointment, which has no contribution
requirement, according to a U.S. official who spoke on condition of
anonymity about the charter, which hasn’t been made public. The official
said the money raised would go to rebuilding Gaza.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has accepted an invitation to join
the board, Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó told state radio Sunday.
Orbán is one of Trump’s most ardent supporters in Europe.
Vietnam’s Communist Party chief, To Lam, also has accepted, a foreign
ministry statement said.
India has received an invitation, a senior government official with
knowledge of the matter said, speaking on condition of anonymity as the
information hadn’t been made public by authorities.
Australia has been invited and will talk it through with the U.S. “to
properly understand what this means and what’s involved,” Deputy Prime
Minister Richard Marles told Australian Broadcasting Corp. on Monday.
Jordan, Greece, Cyprus and Pakistan said Sunday they had received
invitations. Canada, Turkey, Egypt, Paraguay, Argentina and Albania have
already said they were invited. It was not clear how many have been
invited in all.
The U.S. is expected to announce its official list of members in the
coming days, likely during the World Economic Forum meeting in Davos,
Switzerland.
Those on the board will oversee next steps in Gaza as the ceasefire that
took effect on Oct. 10 moves into its challenging second phase. It
includes a new Palestinian committee in Gaza, the deployment of an
international security force, disarmament of Hamas and reconstruction of
the war-battered territory.
In letters sent Friday to world leaders inviting them to be “founding
members,” Trump said the Board of Peace would “embark on a bold new
approach to resolving global conflict.”
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Displaced Palestinians warm themselves around a fire at a tent camp
in Gaza City, Sunday, Jan. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi)
That could become a potential rival to the U.N. Security Council,
the most powerful body of the global entity created in the wake of
World War II. The 15-seat council has been blocked by U.S. vetoes
from taking action to end the war in Gaza, while the U.N.'s clout
has been diminished by major funding cuts by the Trump
administration and other donors.
Trump’s invitation letters for the Board of Peace noted that the
Security Council had endorsed the U.S. 20-point Gaza ceasefire plan,
which includes the board’s creation. The letters were posted on
social media by some invitees.
The White House last week also announced an executive committee of
leaders who will carry out the Board of Peace’s vision, but Israel
on Saturday objected that the committee “was not coordinated with
Israel and is contrary to its policy,” without details. The
statement by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office was rare
criticism of its close ally in Washington.
The executive committee’s members include U.S. Secretary of State
Rubio, Trump envoy Steve Witkoff, Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner,
former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, World Bank President Ajay
Banga and Trump’s deputy national security adviser Robert Gabriel,
along with an Israeli business owner, billionaire Yakir Gabay.
Members also include representatives of ceasefire monitors Qatar,
Egypt and Turkey. Turkey has a strained relationship with Israel but
good relations with Hamas and could play an important role in
persuading the group to yield power in Gaza and disarm.
___
Boak reported from West Palm Beach, Florida. Associated Press
writers Justin Spike in Budapest, Hungary, Rajesh Roy in New Delhi
and Rod McGuirk in Canberra, Australia, contributed to this report.
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