Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1542865
MALTA has been 'informally' in- vited to sit on US President Donald Trump's Board of Peace, Prime Min- ister Robert Abela casually informed parliament on Monday. He was responding to a question by Nationalist MP Mario de Marco during a ministerial statement on the emergency European Council meet- ing held recently. Abela added that "if it is in the na- tional interest", Malta would join regardless of any position taken by the European Union. Indeed, Abela emphasised that during the EU sum- mit, he had argued against a common position on the Board of Peace and leave it up to the individual member states to make their own decision. The announcement came as a sur- prise and raised eyebrows, not least among several prominent members of the Labour Party. Realistically, a small and vulnerable country like Malta cannot be expect- ed to openly snub or antagonise a US president known for vindictiveness and pettiness. But Malta can—and should—act soberly, stick to its prin- ciples, maintain a respectful distance from Washington, and draw clear red lines. From the little that Abela told parliament, it would seem Malta has no red lines or if they exist are blurred. One such red line should be re- fusing to participate in a parallel structure possibly designed to side- line the United Nations and replace it with a court of leaders trying to curry favour with Trump. Even set- ting morality aside, there are several level-headed reasons based on the national interest why Malta should avoid joining this farce. 1. Undefined remit Joining constitutes a leap in the dark and would expose Malta to Trump's mood swings. The country would be joining an organisation with an un- defined remit and heavily shaped by the whims of a single and increasing- ly unstable leader, who will chair it. The Board of Peace was publicly launched by President Trump in Jan- uary 2026 as part of his broader Gaza peace plan. Yet its mission, structure, and powers remain in flux. Accord- ing to its charter, the board aims to promote stability and governance in conflict zones—starting in Gaza— but its future scope is intentionally open-ended. Trump himself has suggested that the board could extend beyond Gaza to "other things as we succeed with Gaza", indicating it may evolve in- to a broader international body. This makes membership a leap in the dark, especially for a small state whose diplomatic credibility depends on predictability and clarity. Compared to the United Nations— an institution built on multilateral consensus and respect for national sovereignty—this board's mandate and authority are ambiguous and heavily tied to one man's political agenda. Unlike Donald Trump's board, where he holds de facto control as chairman, António Guterres leads the UN as secretary-general with powers constrained by collective de- cision-making and multilateral ac- countability. A concrete example of how mem- bership is tied to Trump's personal whim and mood swings was his de- cision to rescind the invitation sent to Canada. In a Truth Social post addressed to Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, Trump stated that the board was "withdrawing its invitation to you regarding Canada's joining, what will be, the most prestigious Board of Leaders ever assembled, at any time." This decision followed tension between Trump and Canada after Carney gave a high-profile speech at the World Economic Forum that was interpreted as critical of US pol- icy that has upended the rules-based international order. It also suggests that Trump is keen on using mem- bership in this board as leverage against countries seeking strategic autonomy. 2. The Palestine question Malta's recognition of Palestine last year and its longstanding support for an independent Palestinian state conflicts with Trump's enduring al- liance with Israel's Benjamin Netan- yahu. 5 maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 28 JANUARY 2026 ANALYSIS CONTINUES ON NEXT PAGE > Trump's Board of Peace: 7 reasons why Malta should not join Morality aside, Malta faces strategic, financial, and diplomatic risks in joining Donald Trump's Board of Peace. James Debono believes participation could compromise the national interest.