Donald Trump has posted a screenshot of messages from French President Emmanuel Macron hours after he rejected the US President’s invitation to be on the ‘Board of Peace’ for Gaza.
Taking to Truth Social, Trump shared a screenshot of his chat with Macron. According to the messages, Macron offered to set up a G7 meeting on the sidelines of Davos in Paris on Thursday, adding that he could invite the Ukrainians, the Danish, Syrians, and Russians in the margins.
While Macron’s office confirmed the authenticity of the screenshot posted by Trump, Washington has thus far not revealed if President Trump had responded to the French President or not.
Earlier, Trump warned that he would charge 200 per cent tariffs on French wines and Champagnes to pressure French President Emmanuel Macron into joining his ‘Board of Peace’, an ambitious plan to ensure peace in Gaza.
Macron refuses to be a part of Trump’s ‘Board of Peace’ for Gaza
Macron refused to join the proposed “Board of Peace”, the French presidency said on Monday. According to the statement, Paris took the decision amid concerns that the Trump-chaired body would wield powers extending well beyond transitional governance of the Gaza Strip and could erode the existing United Nations framework.
The Élysée added that the board’s charter “goes beyond the scope of Gaza and raises serious questions, particularly regarding the principles and institutional structure of the United Nations, which cannot be called into question.”
Macron’s decision reflects a wider unease in Europe. Several liberal democracies are struggling with how to respond. Openly rejecting Trump risks angering Washington, but joining without changes could carry political costs. For now, many are choosing caution and silence.
A billion-dollar membership shock
Trump is asking countries to pay $1 billion for permanent membership on the board. The White House has confirmed the requirement, first reported by Bloomberg. The demand has caught many leaders by surprise and raised questions about what the fee is meant to cover and who controls the money.
The board was first discussed last year as a Trump-led body to guide Gaza’s rebuilding once the war ended. Invitations have gone out widely, including to Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. PM Modi has also received an official invitation from Trump to join Gaza’s ‘Board of Peace.’
