Vatican won't participate in Trump's Gaza "Board of Peace"

• The board is set to hold its inaugural meeting Thursday in Washington.

Driving the news: Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin told reporters Tuesday that some aspects left "us somewhat perplexed," per the Vatican News.

• One such concern, he said, "is that at the international level it should above all be the UN that manages these crisis situations."

The other side: A senior administration official told Axios in a statement the White House would not discuss "the details of diplomatic conversations."

• They added: "The Pope and Vatican are welcome to join the many other nations who are committed to the Board of Peace and its guiding principles promoting stability and securing enduring peace."

State of play: Trump told Reuters last month that the new board would "start with Gaza and then do conflicts as they arise."

• The reportedly broad scope of the board's focus has become a source of concern among world leaders. Trump would wield significant power as its chairman.
• Several top Western allies have already rejected invitations to join the board, though Italy and the European Union plan to send representatives to Thursday's meeting.
• Some allies have said they were concerned that the U.S. is trying to establish a rival to the UN Security Council, Axios' Barak Ravid reported.

Zoom out: Trump said on Sunday that the member states had pledged more than $5 billion toward Gaza reconstruction and humanitarian efforts.

• The board had more than two dozen members as of earlier this month. Those include Hungary, Vietnam, El Salvador and Israel, per announcements shared to the board's X account.

The big picture: Trump's aggressive foreign policy and domestic immigration crackdown have put him at odds with the Catholic Church, a staunch supporter of multilateralism and defender of migrants.

Go deeper: Pope Leo again condemns "zeal for war," deepening rift with Trump