House Democrat grills US trademark office on ‘Board of Peace’ backers

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By Blake Brittain

March 18 (Reuters) – The top Democratic member of the U.S. House Judiciary Committee accused the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office on Wednesday of helping obscure who controls and profits from Republican President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace.

U.S. Representative Jamie Raskin said in a letter to USPTO director John Squires that the agency’s unusual move to apply directly for trademarks covering the board’s name and logo appears to have been “used to conceal the existence of legal and financial structures designed to funnel money to the President for his unilateral use.”

The Maryland congressman said it raised “serious concerns” that the government agency, rather than representatives of the board, applied for the trademarks. The House Judiciary Committee is scheduled to hold an oversight hearing on the USPTO next Wednesday.

Spokespeople for the USPTO and the White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Trump first proposed the Board of Peace in September when he announced his plan to end Israel’s war in Gaza. Member states would be limited to three-year terms unless they pay $1 billion each to fund the board’s activities and earn permanent membership, its charter said.

The board’s official X account listed more than two dozen countries as founding members, including Washington’s main Middle Eastern allies.

Raskin said in his letter that the board appears to operate as an “unsupervised international slush fund” for Trump.

The board’s charter says it undertakes “peace-building functions in accordance with international law.” Its envoys met with Hamas representatives this past weekend in an effort to safeguard the Gaza ceasefire.

The USPTO issues federal trademarks for applicants to use in commerce. Trademarks, including brand names, logos and slogans, are used to identify the sources of goods.

The office itself owns only seven active trademarks related to its name and initiatives. It applied in January for two new trademarks covering the “Board of Peace” name and logo. 

USPTO examiners have not yet started reviewing the applications.

Raskin demanded information on Wednesday from the office about who was behind the decision for the USPTO to file the applications.

Raskin also expressed concern that the Trump administration could use the trademarks to sue critics for infringement.

“Trademarks exist to protect consumers and businesses,” Raskin said. “They do not exist to silence objectors to a governmental administration.”

(Reporting by Blake Brittain in Washington; Editing by David Bario and Mark Porter)