WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump will convene a meeting of the “Council of Peace” in Washington today, Thursday, February 19, 2026, with more than 20 nations participating, the White House announced Wednesday. The meeting, to be held at the Donald J. Trump Institute for Peace, will feature pledges of over $5 billion from member states toward humanitarian efforts and reconstruction in Gaza, according to White House spokesperson Caroline Levitt.
Levitt told reporters that the funds would be administered through the Council of Peace, chaired by President Trump. However, she clarified that all member states would have a vote on the mechanism for disbursing the funds. A technocratic layer, comprised of representatives from member nations, will likewise participate in decision-making, she added.
In addition to financial commitments, member states have pledged to contribute “thousands of personnel” to an international stabilization force and local police to maintain security and peace for the residents of Gaza, Levitt stated.
Responding to a question regarding the Vatican’s decision to decline participation in the Council of Peace, Levitt expressed regret. “We are highly disappointed by that,” she said. “We do not believe that peace should be a partisan, political, or controversial issue. Of course, the administration wants all invitees to join the Council, because this Council is overseeing the rebuilding of a region that has suffered from violence, bloodshed, and poverty for a very long time.”
“The President has a bold and ambitious plan to rebuild and reconstruct Gaza, and work is already underway to implement it. And thanks to the Council of Peace, there is a legitimate organization comprised of dozens of member states from around the world. We see the Vatican’s non-participation as unfortunate,” Levitt continued.
A senior administration official indicated that updates on all workstreams, including humanitarian aid and the international stabilization force, would be announced. Expected speakers, in addition to President Trump, include Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Jared Kushner, former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz, Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, and the Special Representative of the Council of Peace in the Gaza Strip, Nikolay Mladenov, alongside other participants.
When asked if progress on the Gaza plan had stalled, the administration official responded, “Nothing could be further from the truth. We harbor no illusions about the challenges associated with disarmament, but we are receiving encouraging signals from reports relayed by intermediaries.”
The Vatican’s decision to abstain from the Council of Peace was announced Tuesday by Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican’s chief diplomat, who stated that efforts to address crises should be managed by the United Nations. Pope Leo XIV, the first American pope, received an invitation to join the Council in January.
Under President Trump’s plan, which led to a fragile ceasefire in Gaza in October, the Council was initially intended to oversee the temporary administration of the Strip. However, President Trump later stated that the Council’s authority would expand to encompass addressing global conflicts. Italy and the European Union have indicated they will attend as observers, due to their non-membership in the Council.
Cardinal Parolin stated that the Vatican “will not participate in the Council of Peace due to its specific nature, which is, of course, different from that of other states.” He added, “One of the concerns is that, at the international level, the United Nations should be the one to manage these crises above all else. This is one of the points we have insisted upon.”
