I thought the $1 billion was only to be become a "permanent" member of the board of peace, and that a country could still join, but absent the $1 billion, would be limited to a 3 year membership term (after which I'm not sure what would happen).

I'm pretty sure God On Earth Trump wants $1B from everyone. The lower, 3 year "membership", is for optics, but that isn't what he really wants. That "Board of Peace" is clearly another Trump scam. Trump forms it. Trump makes all the decisions. Trump runs it, apparently, for life. Where does the "membership" fee go? Probably Trump's pocket, as the Board is all about Trump. That is why I call it a "bribe laundering scheme". The stronger, industrial, democracies, are telling him to take a flying leap, because they recognize it for what it is.

Consider the week he's had: that old 74 he started out for Davos in, developed an electrical gremlin, and turned back to Andrews. He had to make the trip in a much smaller plane. There will probably be consequences for Boeing, because they still have not delivered the new 74s they have been putzing around with since Trump's first term. Then he was skunked on Greenland. Then the "first world" industrial democracies rejected his bribe laundering scheme. If any of his aides are smart, they will take a two week vacation, because he is going to be in a vile mood, until he can hurt someone.

I have likened his bribe laundering scheme to the United Way drive at the pump seal company I worked for, in the late 70s: "donate" to make the honchos look good, or suffer consequences. It was basically an extortion racket. One year, before I started with them, management had the nerve to fill in the "donation" amount, before you were given your card. The "donation" they wanted was a lot, far in excess of $20, which itself was a considerable amount of money in the 70s. They didn't pull that stunt again, but it implies management wanted a BIG "donation" from everyone, and, implicitly, consequences for anyone who did not donate as much as management wanted. I expect the same from Trump the Magnificent and Perfect: consequences for anyone who only pays tens of Millions for a 3 year membership.

Steve