Letter Text (PDF)

Washington (February 19, 2026) - Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) today wrote to U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, demanding answers about the Trump administration’s so-called “Board of Peace” which was originally intended to oversee a peace deal between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, but has since morphed into a brazen power grab by President Donald Trump to replace the United Nations.

In the letter, Senator Markey wrote, “While purporting to be a multilateral peace initiative, the Board’s Charter is designed to elevate one individual above all others and to concentrate power in his hands. In the context of the Administration’s broader assault on the United Nations and international institutions, the Board of Peace is a blatant power grab that will undermine both U.N. and U.S. influence throughout the world. The Board of Peace has gone off the rails, and I urge you to cancel or curtail this dangerous plan immediately.”

Senator Markey continued, “The Administration appears to be creating an opaque and unaccountable body dominated by a group of wealthy, powerful, and authoritarian actors. Extending invitations to officials of authoritarian regimes that repress, imprison, and kill their own people is unacceptable. Reports that Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has formally joined the Board and that Vladimir Putin has been invited to participate are insulting to the free world and show a profound disregard for human rights. Membership on this ‘Board of Bullies’ would offer these despots’ regimes legitimacy on the world stage. As I write this letter, Vladimir Putin continues to kill men, women, and children in Ukraine, while targeting civilian infrastructure, including energy systems, in the dead of winter. The likes of Putin and Lukashenko have no place on a ‘Board of Peace.’”

Senator Markey requests answers by March 6, 2026, to questions, including:

1. What is the asserted legal authority for creating, entering into, or recognizing the Board of Peace? Does the Administration consider the Charter—or any related instrument—to be a legally binding agreement, and if so, by what authority is it being concluded?
2. What criteria is President Trump using for inviting states to join the Board?
3. How does the Administration reconcile the proposed inclusion of Vladimir Putin and Alexander Lukashenko on the Board with existing U.S. sanctions, stated human rights commitments, and opposition to Russia’s ongoing war of aggression against Ukraine?
4. What role will Congress have in overseeing the Board’s operations, and does the Administration intend to submit the Charter or any associated agreements to Congress pursuant to the Constitution, the Case-Zablocki Act, or other statutory requirements governing congressional review of international commitments?
5. What actual or potential conflicts of interest—including financial, business, or personal—have been identified for individuals involved in the Board’s development, particularly Kushner and Witkoff? What steps has the Administration taken to mitigate actual or apparent conflicts? Is President Trump advancing this initiative in his personal capacity or as an action of the United States government?
6. When will the Board begin delivering measurable improvements in humanitarian access, medical care, and basic services for Palestinians in Gaza?
7. How would the Board address the immediate medical emergency in Gaza, including when and how it plans to coordinate urgent medical evacuations and reopen medical corridors?
8. What Palestinian representation will exist on the Board, and how will Palestinian perspectives be incorporated into its deliberations and decisions?

In November, Senator Markey wrote to Secretary Rubio, urging the United States to work with both Israeli authorities and international partners to push toward rebuilding accessible hospitals and medical infrastructure in Gaza and establishing a humanitarian corridor for urgent medical evacuations to the East Jerusalem Hospital Network.

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