President Donald Trump’s latest foreign policy stunt, the “Board of Peace,” is barely off the ground — and it’s already humiliating him on the world stage.
At the launch of the organization, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt unveiled a list of founding members and claimed Belgium had signed on. By Thursday morning, Belgium’s foreign minister, Maxime Prévot, publicly set the record straight on X.
“Belgium has NOT signed the Charter of the Board of Peace. This announcement is incorrect,” Prévot wrote. “We wish for a common and coordinated European response. As many European countries, we have reservations to the proposal.”
The Board of Peace, pitched by the Trump administration as a global organization to oversee a peaceful transition and redevelopment of Gaza following the brutal two-year conflict between Israel and Hamas, has already drawn scrutiny for its vague and alarming charter. Experts note the document doesn’t specifically mention Gaza and seems structured as a long-term alternative to the United Nations, potentially giving Trump enormous influence over international diplomacy if it ever gained serious membership.
So far, most of the countries that have signed on are minor powers, and the majority of European nations are refusing to touch it. Belgium’s public rebuke makes it clear that the administration’s messaging is already colliding with reality.
The misstep is a major embarrassment for Leavitt, who was tasked with presenting the Board as a serious international initiative. The false claim risks undermining credibility with both foreign governments and domestic observers who are already skeptical of the organization’s purpose and potential power.
While the Trump administration touts the Board as a step toward international peacebuilding, the reality — sparse membership, vague charter language, and public disputes with countries like Belgium — paints a far less orderly picture.
As more countries weigh their involvement, the Board’s future looks uncertain, and Leavitt’s announcement serves as a stark reminder that **false claims on the global stage carry immediate consequences**.
