Ranking Member Shaheen Presses State Department on Board of Peace Oversight and Use of U.S. Taxpayer Funds

WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, sent a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio raising concerns about the establishment and operations of the Board of Peace, a body created to oversee stabilization and reconstruction efforts in Gaza and other conflicts globally. In the letter, Shaheen questioned the Board's accountability mechanisms, oversight of billions of dollars in pledged donor funds and the legal basis for the Trump Administration's decision to grant the Board international organization status. She also warned that the Administration has sought to transfer U.S. taxpayer dollars to the Board despite significant unanswered questions about governance, transparency and monitoring of funds.

"Since the signing of the Board's charter in January 2026 and inaugural meeting chaired by President Trump the following month, Congress has remained largely in the dark about the Board's work, even as the Administration has sought to transfer tens of millions in U.S. funds to the Board. While I strongly support serious and accountable reconstruction efforts in Gaza, the Board's apparent lack of accountability, standards and sound legal standing raises serious concerns over the responsible use of American taxpayer dollars," wrote Ranking Member Shaheen.

"President Trump appears to have selected himself to serve as the Board's Chairman for life. At the inaugural meeting, he pledged $10 billion in U.S. funding. In April, the State Department notified Congress of its intent to transfer $50 million to the Board to cover initial operating expenses. However, in a briefing to Congress, the Department was unable to provide answers to basic questions, including whether the Department would implement standard monitoring mechanisms for U.S. funds, who the Board of Peace employs and whether the funds could be used to compensate President Trump while he is President or after his term ends. The Department did, however, confirm that the Board of Peace had not established the rules and procedures governing the oversight and monitoring of funds and vetting of staff typically required before the Department provides funds to an international organization," continued Ranking Member Shaheen.

"With more than $17 billion pledged toward Gaza reconstruction through the Board of Peace, it is critical that Congress and the American people know who has access to these funds, who directly oversees them and how they will be used. The Administration has also failed to explain under what authority President Trump used to designate the Board of Peace as a Public International Organization in Executive Order 14375," concluded Ranking Member Shaheen.

Full text of the letter is available HERE and provided below.

Dear Secretary Rubio:

I write to you in your capacities as both U.S. Secretary of State and an Executive Board Member of the Board of Peace concerning the establishment and ongoing operations of the Board of Peace. Since the signing of the Board's charter in January 2026 and inaugural meeting chaired by President Trump the following month, Congress has remained largely in the dark about the Board's work, even as the Administration has sought to transfer tens of millions in U.S. funds to the Board. While I strongly support serious and accountable reconstruction efforts in Gaza, the Board's apparent lack of accountability, standards and sound legal standing raises serious concerns over the responsible use of American taxpayer dollars.

President Trump appears to have selected himself to serve as the Board's Chairman for life. At the inaugural meeting, he pledged $10 billion in U.S. funding. In April, the State Department notified Congress of its intent to transfer $50 million to the Board to cover initial operating expenses. However, in a briefing to Congress, the Department was unable to provide answers to basic questions, including whether the Department would implement standard monitoring mechanisms for U.S. funds, who the Board of Peace employs and whether the funds could be used to compensate President Trump while he is President or after his term ends. The Department did, however, confirm that the Board of Peace had not established the rules and procedures governing the oversight and monitoring of funds and vetting of staff typically required before the Department provides funds to an international organization.

Similarly, there are questions and concerns regarding the oversight of funds from donor countries to support Gaza reconstruction through the Board of Peace-which public reporting indicates have gone to a JPMorgan bank account rather than to the World Bank-administered fund established for such purposes. There are reportedly no independent transparency requirements in place for the JPMorgan account. With more than $17 billion pledged toward Gaza reconstruction through the Board of Peace, it is critical that Congress and the American people know who has access to these funds, who directly oversees them and how they will be used.

The Administration has also failed to explain under what authority President Trump used to designate the Board of Peace as a Public International Organization in Executive Order 14375. This designation seeks to grant the Board legal privileges and immunities-which can include immunity from certain lawsuits-but are only available for "a public international organization in which the United States participates pursuant to any treaty or under the authority of any Act of Congress authorizing such participation or making an appropriation for such participation." In this case, neither requirement seems to have been met.

Given these concerns, I request that you promptly respond to the following questions:

• How will the Department monitor the use of Department funds to support the operating costs of the Board of Peace? Does the Board have rules and procedures in place to monitor such funds? If not, will those procedures be put in place before funds are transferred?

• Could the Board use U.S. funds to compensate Donald Trump, as the Chair of the Board of Peace, while serving as President or after he is no longer President?

• Will any Executive Board members of the Board of Peace be compensated?

• Will State Department funds be used to pay travel or other expenses for any member of the Board of Peace Executive Board or President Trump, as Chair of the Board of Peace?

• Who is responsible for managing the operating funds for the Board of Peace?

• How much is currently in the Board of Peace bank account and from which sources? Who is responsible for monitoring and overseeing funds from donor countries for the Board of Peace?

• Please explain the Department's legal rationale for concluding that the Board of Peace qualifies as an "international organization," including the relevant treaty, congressional authorization or congressional appropriation.

I look forward to your prompt response.

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