President Donald Trump on Thursday launched a $10 billion initiative, the “Board of Peace,” aimed first at rebuilding Gaza, even as U.S. warplanes and aircraft carriers headed toward Iran under his orders.
Speaking at the former U.S. Institute of Peace, now renamed in his honor, Trump welcomed a mix of allies and leaders eager for U.S. attention, including Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, Argentine President Javier Milei, Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, and FIFA President Gianni Infantino.
The new board, whose mandate and funding remain opaque, will allow Trump veto power and leadership even after leaving office.
Countries seeking permanent membership beyond two-year terms must contribute $1 billion. Critics dismissed the plan as “a confused mix of ambition and narcissism, unleavened by any effort at intellectual coherence,” while some key U.S. allies opted not to participate, wary of overlapping with existing institutions like the United Nations.
Trump framed the board as a continuation of U.S. diplomacy in Gaza following last October’s cease-fire negotiations with Qatar and Egypt that ended two years of devastating war.
He emphasized peace as a simple yet elusive goal, pledging that the U.S. would lead reconstruction efforts, disarm Hamas, the group whose Oct. 7, 2023, incursion on Israel triggered the conflict, and stabilize Gaza.
Gaza’s health ministry reports at least 601 deaths since the cease-fire began.
Indonesia indicated readiness to deploy up to 8,000 troops for an International Stabilization Force in Gaza.
Israel, represented by its foreign minister, appeared in the group photo alongside Qatar’s prime minister, symbolizing the fragile regional alignment. A technocratic committee headed by engineer Ali Shaath will manage day-to-day governance in Gaza.
Trump devoted much of his speech to personal flattery and spectacle.
He praised attending leaders on wealth, strength, and appearance, rating some as “young and handsome” while joking about his lack of interest in men.
He highlighted stock market gains, past influence over foreign leaders, and recounted incidents like an escalator visit to the United Nations where he joked about placing his hand on first lady Melania Trump. MAGA hats sat on tables in front of leaders as Trump walked through the room, reciting names individually, including Infantino and others.
The soundtrack, James Brown’s “It’s a Man’s Man’s Man’s World,” set the tone for the inaugural event, blending political theater with diplomacy.
Trump suggested his board could rival the United Nations in authority, describing it repeatedly as “beautiful” and praising the venue and his administration at least 14 times.
In addition to Gaza reconstruction, the meeting coincided with U.S. diplomatic pressure on Iran, with envoys dispatched to demand nuclear concessions.
Trump warned that “bad things happen” without a meaningful deal and that Washington “may have to take it a step further” within 10 days if no agreement is reached.
