White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, a hardcore cradle Catholic, has taken a dig at the Vatican after it refused to participate in Donald Trump‘s Gaza Board of Peace. Back in January, the president sent an invitation to Pope Leo to join his initiative. However, on Tuesday, February 17, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican’s top diplomatic official, turned down the invitation.
The Holy See “will not participate in the Board of Peace because of its particular nature, which is evidently not that of other States,” Parolin stated on February 17. “One concern,” he added, “is that at the international level it should above all be the United Nations that manages these crisis situations. This is one of the points on which we have insisted,” according to Reuters.
PRESS Secretary Karoline Leavitt. @PressSec
President Trump has a very bold and ambitious plan envisioned to rebuild Gaza which is well under way because of the Board of Peace.
This is a legitimate organization where there are tens of member countries from around the world. pic.twitter.com/W5JLzRpOwy
— Global Media Eye (@GlobalMediaEyeN) February 19, 2026
Following Parolin’s statement, Leavitt fired back, “I think it’s deeply unfortunate.” On Wednesday, February 18, she said, “I don’t think peace should be partisan or political or controversial.”
Trump will serve as the chairman of the Board of Peace. It is set to oversee the rebuilding of Gaza. Leavitt insisted that the administration wants all parties who have been invited to join the Board of Peace.
Leavitt said, “The Board of Peace is overseeing the reconstruction of a territory that has been plagued with violence, with bloodshed, with poverty for far too long.” She added, “This president has a very bold and ambitious plan and vision to rebuild and reconstruct Gaza.”
Leavitt claimed that the Board of Peace is a legitimate organization with “tens of member countries from around the world.” It was unveiled last month with a ceremony that was held alongside the World Economic Forum in Davos.
The Vatican’s Secretary of State, Pietro Cardinal Parolin confirms that “The Vatican will not participate in [Donald Trump’s] Board of Peace for Gaza” pic.twitter.com/2UsHZVGAI5
— Catholic Sat (@CatholicSat) February 17, 2026
The administration said that the Board of Peace will primarily focus on a multistep plan to end the war in Gaza and rebuild it. This initiative is not unusual, given that Trump has touted himself as a “peace president” for a long time, boasting about ending multiple wars.
However, the organization sparked some backlash as many raised concerns about the board not including a Palestinian, given the fact that it is all about ending the war in Gaza. At the same time, some Western allies criticized the president for overseeing the reconstruction of a foreign region.
Meanwhile, the Vatican’s response comes amid much criticism from Pope Leo. The Chicago-born pontiff has been a vocal critic of the Trump administration for a long time. He has slammed the president on many occasions for his controversial foreign policy and immigration operations across the United States.
