Trump officially unveils 'Board of Peace' in Davos
What's the story
United States President Donald Trump has officially launched his "Board of Peace" at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. Calling the ceremony a "very exciting day," he said, "We have Peace in the Middle East; no one thought that was possible." "We settled eight wars and another is coming as well, you know what that is," he said, teasing the ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war.
Hamas
Trump threatens Hamas
"We have little fires that we'll put out, but they're little," he said, asserting that the war in Gaza "is really coming to an end." Trump referred to Hamas as those who "were born with rifles in their hands" and threatened aggression if it refuses a peace deal. "They have to give up their weapons, and if they don't do that, it's going to be the end of them," he said.
Board
19 countries joined Trump
Representatives from less than 20 countries attended his new "Board of Peace" signing event, which saw none of the United States' traditional Western European allies present. Trump, who will chair the board, was joined by dozens of world leaders from 19 countries, including Argentina, Bahrain, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Hungary, Indonesia, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Pakistan, Paraguay, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Morocco, the United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan, and Mongolia.
Mandate details
Board of Peace's mandate and membership
Originally proposed as a response to the Gaza conflict, the Board of Peace's mandate has since expanded to include other geopolitical issues. This has sparked concerns that Trump wants it to replace the United Nations. Member states serve three-year terms but can secure permanent membership by contributing $1 billion each. This provision has drawn criticism for potentially turning peace diplomacy into a pay-to-play system.
UN
New board to work 'in conjunction' with UN
However, Trump said on Thursday that he wants his new "Board of Peace" to work "in conjunction" with the United Nations. "Once this board is completely formed, we can do pretty much whatever we want to do, and we'll do it in conjunction with the United Nations," he said. "I've always said the United Nations has got tremendous potential. Has not used it, but there's tremendous potential," he added.
Leadership structure
Board of Peace's executive authority and founding members
The board's charter gives its chairman extensive executive authority, including veto power and member removal. This concentration of power has raised concerns about checks and balances. The founding Executive Board includes US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, special envoy Steve Witkoff, former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, and Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner.
Institutional coordination
Board of Peace's relationship with existing institutions
It remains unclear what legal authority the Board of Peace will have and how it will interact with existing institutions like the UN. This ambiguity could complicate coordination in crisis situations where multilateral legitimacy is important. Supporters see this initiative as an attempt to break traditional multilateral frameworks' paralysis, while skeptics warn it could undermine established international norms.