US President Donald Trump (AP photo)
US President Donald Trump wants nations to pay a king’s ransom of $1 billion to remain in harmony with the US and retain a seat on his proposed “peace board”, or as many critics claimed as an “alternative to the United Nations,” Bloomberg reported, citing a draft charter.According to the draft, Trump would serve as the inaugural chairman, with each member state granted a term of no more than three years from the charter’s entry into force, subject to renewal at the chairman’s discretion.The draft also says that Trump would decide who is invited as members. Decisions would be made by a majority, with each member state getting one vote, but all decisions would still require the chairman’s approval.“Each Member State shall serve a term of no more than three years from this Charter’s entry into force, subject to renewal by the Chairman. The three-year membership term shall not apply to Member States that contribute more than $1,000,000,000 in cash funds to the Board of Peace within the first year of the Charter’s entry into force,” the draft says.Some critics worry that Trump may be trying to create an alternative to the United Nations, which he has long criticised. The board is described in the draft as “an international organization that seeks to promote stability, restore dependable and lawful governance, and secure enduring peace in areas affected or threatened by conflict.” It would become official once three member states agree to the charter.However, the White House called the report “misleading” and said there is no minimum membership fee to join the Board of Peace.“This simply offers permanent membership to partner countries who demonstrate deep commitment to peace, security, and prosperity,” the White House said on X.The US state department, when asked by Reuters, referred to previous social media posts about the board by Trump and his special envoy Steve Witkoff, which did not mention the $1 billion figure.