Full Breakdown
Congressional Push for Transparency on USPTO’s “Board of Peace” Trademark Filings
7/22/2026, 12:15:46 AM
Background of the Board of Peace Initiative
Former President Donald Trump announced a “Board of Peace” last year as part of his proposal to end Israel’s war in Gaza. The board’s charter would allow member states three-year terms unless they contribute $1 billion each to secure permanent membership.
USPTO Actions and Abandonment
The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office filed two trademark applications covering the Board of Peace name and logo in December and January. The agency typically owns only seven active trademarks related to its own programs. Director John Squires cited “cybersquatting” concerns as the reason for filing and later abandoned the applications in early July.
Official Statements & Responses
Representative Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), ranking member of the House Judiciary Committee, sent a letter to Squires in March and followed up on July 21, demanding a full accounting of why the USPTO pursued and then dropped the trademarks. Raskin argued that the agency’s role is to examine applications impartially, not to act as a “straw-applicant” for a “shadowy global slush fund” controlled by Trump, and warned that public confidence in the IP system depends on avoiding private or political use.
A USPTO spokesperson declined to comment on Raskin’s request. White House spokespeople did not immediately respond to inquiries. A Trump-administration official, speaking at the time of the filings, said there was “no truth” to Raskin’s allegation that the applications were intended to funnel money to the president.
Next Steps
Raskin has asked Squires to answer his questions—including whether cybersquatting concerns were resolved, whether the Board of Peace will ever be formed, and whether the applications had a legitimate legal basis—by August 3. The deadline marks the next scheduled point of congressional oversight on the matter.
