Trump launches his Board of Peace despite discord from allies
The board signals Trump’s push to move into the second phase of his Gaza peace plan
[DAVOS, Switzerland] US President Donald Trump officially launched his Board of Peace initiative, barrelling ahead with a project he says will promote geopolitical stability even as its creation spurs rancour and reservations from key allies.
Trump sought to allay some of those worries on Thursday (Jan 22), saying that the organisation would “work with many others, including the United Nations,” during a celebratory event on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.
“Once this board is completely formed, we can do pretty much whatever in conjunction with the United Nations. You know, I’ve always said the United Nations has got tremendous potential,” Trump said.
Trump was joined on stage by founding members of the board, including political allies who share his populist worldview, Argentine President Javier Milei and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, as well as representatives from a host of nations, including Bahrain, Morocco, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates and Uzbekistan.
Leaders joined Trump at a table to sign documents, which White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said put the board’s charter “in full force” and made it an “official international organisation.”
The Board of Peace also signals Trump’s push to move into the second phase of his Gaza peace plan, even as Hamas refuses to relinquish its weapons. The president on Thursday sought to cast the initial phase of the peace deal as a success and said the US was committed to seeing Gaza “properly rebuilt” even as he cautioned that Hamas should return the remains of the last deceased hostage from its 2023 assault on Israel.
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He opened the event by boasting about the US economy and his claims to have stopped at least eight wars, a figure that includes conflicts that had not broken into open hostilities or where long-running animosities have still not been resolved. He also reiterated his desire for US$1.5 trillion in US defence spending and hailed Nato allies for boosting their spending targets, even as he jabbed at Spain which has still not committed to that figure.
“They want a free ride, I guess,” Trump said.
Still, despite Trump’s fanfare Thursday, the board has endured a rocky start, plagued by doubts over its objectives, composition and the control the US president will yield. Crucial US allies, including major Group of Seven economies, are still on the sidelines, unready to embrace the endeavour but also wary of offending a US president who sees the pet project as part of his legacy.
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Trump initially proposed the board as part of a peace plan for war-torn Gaza, tasked with helping oversee its reconstruction. But a draft charter seen by Bloomberg suggested a broader remit to “secure enduring peace in areas affected or threatened by conflict,” an expansive vision that has alarmed many US partners who worry it will seek to rival – and undercut – the UN. Those fears have persisted despite efforts by the Trump administration to convince nations the board will complement, not supplant, the UN.
The draft also asked countries to contribute at least US$1 billion to secure a permanent spot and would grant Trump ultimate decision-making power as its “inaugural chairman” with the possibility he could remain in that role even after his presidency ends.
The membership has also alarmed democratic allies. Trump extended an invitation to Russian President Vladimir Putin that sparked outrage given the Kremlin’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine, along with another authoritarian leader, Belarus’s Alexander Lukashenko.
Around 60 leaders were invited to join, based on media reports and official statements. No nations from sub-Saharan Africa are among the invitees.
Among the nations who have declined so far to join are France, the UK, Sweden, the Netherlands, Germany and Canada. After France’s Emmanuel Macron declined his invite, Trump threatened the country with a 200 per cent tariff on champagne, and shared a private text from Macron on social media.
Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney said he’s up for joining the board “in principle” but added at Davos on Tuesday that it should be focused on addressing Gaza’s needs. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer declined to endorse the board, and said he would coordinate with allies for a response.
That hesitance also came as leaders this week struggled to deal with another geopolitical flashpoint, Trump’s demands for Denmark to cede control of Greenland, backed by the threat of new tariffs. The president dropped the tariff threat late Wednesday, saying he had reached the “framework of a future deal” regarding the Arctic island.
Trump earlier this week said he wished that “we did not need a Board of Peace,” but that the UN had failed to help him solve the world’s conflicts.
While the UN Security Council originally endorsed Trump’s plan for Gaza, the broader remit caught it off-guard. On Monday, UN spokesperson Farhan Haq said the Security Council had authorised the Board of Peace only for its work in Gaza.
When the president introduced the peace board concept in October, it was intended to aid Gaza’s rebuilding after the a devastating war between Israel and Hamas. A high-level committee of world leaders would oversee a team of technocrats governing the coastal enclave instead of Hamas militants with the aim of attracting foreign investment laying the groundwork for an international security force.
Yet even basic elements of the plan have stirred discontent. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has since accepted a spot on the board, pushed back over the inclusion of officials from Qatar and Turkey on a subsidiary panel. Those countries are seen by Israel as too close to Hamas. BLOOMBERG
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