DAVOS, Switzerland — In a move that could reshape global diplomacy, US President Donald Trump on Thursday officially launched his “Board of Peace”, a new body he says will help secure Gaza’s fragile ceasefire — and possibly much more.
Standing before world leaders at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Trump spoke with confidence and ambition.
“Once this board is completely formed, we can do pretty much whatever we want to do,” he said.
“And we’ll do it in conjunction with the United Nations.”
He praised the UN’s “tremendous potential,” while suggesting it has not been fully utilized.
A Bigger Mission — and Growing Concerns
While the Board of Peace is initially focused on Gaza, Trump made it clear that its reach could expand beyond the Middle East.
That possibility has raised eyebrows.
He has invited dozens of world leaders to join the board and will chair it himself — a setup that has stirred concerns among diplomats who fear it could challenge the United Nations’ traditional role as the world’s primary forum for conflict resolution.
Those concerns have already begun to show.
Several major global powers and long-standing US allies have either declined the invitation or responded cautiously, especially after Trump said permanent members would be required to contribute $1 billion each to fund the board.
Who Joined — and Who Didn’t
Representatives from countries introduced as founding members were present at the signing ceremony. However, no officials from most major global powers were seen in the room. Neither Israel nor the Palestinian Authority appeared to be represented.
So far, none of the other permanent members of the UN Security Council — Russia, China, France, or Britain — has committed to join.
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France has declined
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Britain says it is not joining for now
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China has not responded
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Russia says it is still studying the proposal
Despite this, around 35 countries have signed on, including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Turkey, and Belarus.
Few of the participating nations are democracies, though Israel and Hungary, both led by close Trump allies, have said they will join.
UN Support — With Limits
The board’s creation was endorsed through a UN Security Council resolution tied specifically to Trump’s Gaza peace plan.
But UN officials were quick to draw boundaries.
UN spokesperson Rolando Gomez said the organization’s engagement with the board would be limited strictly to that context.
“Something Unique for the World”
Still, Trump remains optimistic.
“There’s tremendous potential with the United Nations,” he said,
“and the combination of the Board of Peace with the kind of people we have here could be something very, very unique for the world.”
Whether the Board of Peace becomes a breakthrough in diplomacy — or a parallel power that reshapes global leadership — remains to be seen.
For now, the world is watching.
