US President Donald Trump invited Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to become a founding member of the Gaza Board of Peace, the Turkish Presidency confirmed during the two-hour period from 12:16 PM to 2:16 PM UTC on January 17, 2026. Journalist Ragip Soylu reported the confirmation on X, stating "BREAKING - Trump invited Erdogan to become a founding member of the Board of Peace, Turkish Presidency says," and linking to a Middle East Eye article titled "US invites Erdogan to join Gaza board of peace." This development follows an earlier Turkish Presidency statement on X during the prior reporting window from 9:16 AM to 12:16 PM UTC, which announced the invitation amid Gaza-related diplomatic efforts. No additional details on the invitation's timing, method, or next steps were provided in the sources from this period.
