U.S. President Donald Trump is seeking to spotlight his proposed “Board of Peace” at the World Economic Forum on Thursday, hoping to build momentum for a project originally conceived to oversee the Gaza ceasefire but now expanded into a broader, more ambitious initiative.
AP reported on Thursday, the board has been met with scepticism from some traditional U.S. allies, with questions surrounding its mandate and membership prompting several nations to decline participation.
Nonetheless, Trump expressed confidence in the initiative ahead of a planned “charter announcement” on the sidelines of the forum in the Swiss Alps.
“We have a lot of great people that want to join,” Trump said on Wednesday, standing alongside Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, who confirmed Egypt’s participation. “It’s going to be the most prestigious board ever formed.”
A senior U.S. administration official, speaking anonymously under White House ground rules, indicated that 35 countries had agreed to join while 60 nations had been invited. Trump has suggested the board could ultimately replace some functions of the United Nations, though he stopped short of confirming that outcome.
“I have some controversial people. But these are people that get the job done. These are people that have tremendous influence,” he said.
Significant questions remain regarding who will participate. Russian President Vladimir Putin is consulting with “strategic partners” before making a decision, while the United Kingdom, the European Union, Canada, Russia, Ukraine, and China have not yet responded.
Norway, Sweden, and France have declined, citing concerns that the board could undermine the U.N.’s authority. Slovenian Prime Minister Robert Golob said the mandate was too broad and could disrupt international order.
Trump’s push comes months after the October ceasefire, which ended over two years of conflict between Israel and Hamas.
While the truce has reduced hostilities, more than two million Palestinians in Gaza continue to face a humanitarian crisis. Central to the ceasefire’s durability is the disarming of Hamas, which Israel insists is non-negotiable.
“If they don’t do it,” Trump warned, “they’ll be blown away. Very quickly.”
Trump also tied his administration’s hardline approach to Iran, including strikes on the country’s nuclear facilities last June, to the success of the Gaza ceasefire. “If we didn’t do that, there was no chance of making peace,” he said.
The president indicated that, for now, no further military action will be taken against Iran after receiving assurances regarding planned executions of protesters amid nationwide demonstrations.
Additionally, Trump anticipates speaking with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, though it remains unclear whether discussions will occur at Davos or by phone.
“I believe they’re at a point now where they can come together and get a deal done,” Trump said of Zelenskyy and Putin. “And if they don’t, they’re stupid — that goes for both of them.”
Months into the ceasefire, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has agreed to join the board, reversing earlier reservations over its Gaza oversight committee.
The initiative reflects Trump’s broader ambition to reconfigure international conflict resolution mechanisms while navigating skepticism and geopolitical sensitivities. - January 22, 2026
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