Holy See opts out of controversial U.S.-led council amid clashes on immigration and global crises
Pope Leo XIV has formally declined an invitation to join U.S. President Donald Trump’s newly formed “Board of Peace,” also known as the Peace Council, according to an announcement by Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin.
The decision highlights the Holy See’s reservations about the initiative’s potential to undermine the United Nations’ central role in managing global crises. Parolin described the board as having a “particular nature, which is evidently not that of other States,” expressing perplexity over certain aspects of the plan.
The Board
of Peace, established by Trump earlier this year, was initially intended to oversee the reconstruction of Gaza following a U.N.-endorsed ceasefire and the region’s devastation in ongoing
conflicts. However, its mandate has expanded to address broader international disputes, positioning it as a selective, fee-based forum chaired indefinitely by Trump himself.
Membership has drawn controversy, including leaders from authoritarian regimes such as Egypt’s Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly, Turkey’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Cambodia’s Prime Minister Hun Manet, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar, and Hungari
an Prime Minister Viktor Orbán.
Pope Leo XIV, the first American-born pontiff who ascended to the papacy in May 2025, re
ceived the invitation in late January. After weeks of deliberation, the Vatican opted out, emphasizing that “at the international level, it should above all be the U.N. that manages these crisis situations.”
The refusal aligns with ongoing tensions between the Pope and Trump, who have clashed repeatedly over issues such as immigration policies and foreign interventions.
The White House responded by calling the decision “deeply unfortunate,” with Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt asserting the board’s legitimacy, backed by “tens of member countries.”
Several other nations, including Britain, France, Norway, Italy, and Greece, have declined full membership or opted for observer status at the board’s inaugural meeting in Washington on Thursday.
As global leaders navigate the evolving landscape of international diplomacy, the Vatican’s stance underscores a commitment to multilateral institutions like the UN over unilateral or selective forums.
L’Union Suite will continue monitoring developments in U.S. foreign policy and their implications for global stability, particularly in regions like the Caribbean and Haiti.
![Grammy-winning producer and Haitian cultural ambassador Michaël Brun is bringing BAYO back to Miami’s Little Haiti on November 22, for a free block party celebrating the movement’s 10th anniversary, made possible through a major partnership with Rockstar Games.
Presented with support from Rockstar Games, the company behind the #GrandTheftAuto (https://www.instagram.com/explore/tags/grandtheftauto/) franchise, the event will welcome up to 7,500 attendees, the largest Little Haiti edition to date. Admission is free, with tickets distributed through a raffle and more than half reserved specifically for Florida residents and Haitian communities. Fans can sign up now at [bayotour.com]
In announcing the return, Brun said: “10 years ago, BAYO made its US debut as a free block party in Little Haiti celebrating Haitian and Caribbean culture. That show was the beginning of a beautiful journey across 12 cities, over 50,000 tickets sold, multiple arena and park shows and over 140 artist guests from around the world. I’m so proud to be bringing BAYO back to Little Haiti for our biggest show ever on November 22nd. New venue, huge surprises, our most iconic lineup of all time and FREE tickets courtesy of Rockstar Games.”
The timing adds another layer of visibility. Rockstar Games’ highly anticipated GTA VI is set for release on November 19, 2026, just three days before the BAYO celebration. The game’s fictional Vice City is famously inspired by Miami, placing the partnership and the Little Haiti event in the same cultural spotlight.
The Little Haiti return closes an anniversary run that already included Boston’s Agganis Arena and a sold-out three-night residency at Brooklyn Paramount. With Rockstar Games’ support making the celebration free and accessible, the 10th anniversary returns full circle to the neighborhood where BAYO began, bringing music, culture, and community together on a bigger stage.
#lunionsuite #haitianamerican](https://www.lunionsuite.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/857202981_18645558742023307_1930732005552624620_n-512x640.jpg)
![Grammy-winning producer and Haitian cultural ambassador Michaël Brun is bringing BAYO back to Miami’s Little Haiti on November 22, for a free block party celebrating the movement’s 10th anniversary, made possible through a major partnership with Rockstar Games.
Presented with support from Rockstar Games, the company behind the #GrandTheftAuto (https://www.instagram.com/explore/tags/grandtheftauto/) franchise, the event will welcome up to 7,500 attendees, the largest Little Haiti edition to date. Admission is free, with tickets distributed through a raffle and more than half reserved specifically for Florida residents and Haitian communities. Fans can sign up now at [bayotour.com]
In announcing the return, Brun said: “10 years ago, BAYO made its US debut as a free block party in Little Haiti celebrating Haitian and Caribbean culture. That show was the beginning of a beautiful journey across 12 cities, over 50,000 tickets sold, multiple arena and park shows and over 140 artist guests from around the world. I’m so proud to be bringing BAYO back to Little Haiti for our biggest show ever on November 22nd. New venue, huge surprises, our most iconic lineup of all time and FREE tickets courtesy of Rockstar Games.”
The timing adds another layer of visibility. Rockstar Games’ highly anticipated GTA VI is set for release on November 19, 2026, just three days before the BAYO celebration. The game’s fictional Vice City is famously inspired by Miami, placing the partnership and the Little Haiti event in the same cultural spotlight.
The Little Haiti return closes an anniversary run that already included Boston’s Agganis Arena and a sold-out three-night residency at Brooklyn Paramount. With Rockstar Games’ support making the celebration free and accessible, the 10th anniversary returns full circle to the neighborhood where BAYO began, bringing music, culture, and community together on a bigger stage.
#lunionsuite #haitianamerican](https://scontent-yyz1-1.cdninstagram.com/v/t51.82787-15/858197944_18645558700023307_686072295350904763_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_e35_tt6&_nc_cat=100&ccb=7-5&_nc_sid=18de74&efg=eyJlZmdfdGFnIjoiQ0FST1VTRUxfSVRFTS5iZXN0X2ltYWdlX3VybGdlbi5DMyJ9&_nc_ohc=bOQ5XMx_Z1YQ7kNvwGG7S4C&_nc_oc=AdpRGLfZNHddto393TLgTmmy4hfWc5JLTXDdw5hgJXVgYUpW7ZDy46ppArbX5fDarcg&_nc_zt=23&_nc_ht=scontent-yyz1-1.cdninstagram.com&edm=ANo9K5cEAAAA&_nc_gid=W1zCNmNwJuk5msuNjfLbTQ&_nc_tpa=Q5bMBQKgO0WVvqMTObMW6SJgN5QkraXbIW4tJ2PcO67RxKUH3tW8gNvrwtL7s1if9he47JT8Sqf76zzB&oh=00_AQNgoarcKGynH8kpzxP3faI1ZyeSM1-_zR4Od_Kvg_kA6g&oe=6ADD8873)
