Donald Trump announced Thursday that he wants the United States to contribute $10 billion to what he calls a “Board of Peace,” a proposal critics argue would effectively create a large discretionary fund under presidential control.
Speaking at the board’s inaugural meeting in Washington, Trump described the requested amount as modest, saying $10 billion was “a very small number when you look at that compared to the cost of war.”
However, allocating billions in taxpayer dollars would require approval from Congress, which the administration has not yet secured.
Trump’s recent foreign policy actions have intensified debates over executive authority and Congress’s constitutional power over federal spending. The president has authorized military actions targeting foreign drug-smuggling operations, including strikes on vessels the government claims were involved in trafficking. Those operations remain ongoing, with reports of casualties as recently as this week. The administration has also faced scrutiny over a large-scale military intervention aimed at removing a foreign leader, undertaken without a formal congressional declaration of war.
The proposed funding has also drawn attention in connection with broader Middle East policy discussions, including initiatives associated with Jared Kushner’s approach to Gaza, which opponents have characterized as benefiting private development interests.
Even if the White House were to formally request the funds, congressional approval appears uncertain. Lawmakers are currently locked in a dispute over Department of Homeland Security funding, a standoff that has contributed to a partial government shutdown. With midterm elections approaching, major new spending proposals may face heightened political resistance.
Separately, Trump previously announced the sale of permanent seats on the Board of Peace for $1 billion each, though details regarding the destination and use of those funds have not been publicly disclosed.
