Trump’s framing
In the letters, Trump described the board in expansive terms. “At the heart of the plan is the Board of Peace, the most impressive and consequential board ever assembled, which will be established as a new International Organization and Transitional Governing Administration,” Trump wrote.
The letters also note that Trump’s 20-point Gaza ceasefire plan — which includes the creation of the Board of Peace — was endorsed by the U.N. Security Council, and they suggest the panel of world leaders may not confine their work to Gaza. “Now it is time to turn all of these dreams into reality,” Trump wrote.
Trump had posted on social media Thursday saying the board had been formed and that member names would be announced “shortly.”
Analysts warn of sovereignty risks
Daniel Forti, head of U.N. affairs at the International Crisis Group, said the board represents an attempt by Washington to extend the kind of influence it has exercised over the Gaza file to other international disputes.
“This is a U.S. shortcut in an attempt to wield its veto power on world affairs,” Forti said. He added that the board “would give world leaders involved a sort of mechanism to try and sidestep longstanding agreements around sovereignty and territorial integrity in exchange for transactional deals.”
China and Russia — which hold veto power in the U.N. Security Council — are expected to oppose the initiative, as are smaller nations that have relied on the U.N. system to participate in major international decisions since World War II. The senior U.S. official who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal administration thinking did not say the Board of Peace is intended to replace the United Nations, but suggested it could pressure the world body into greater action.
Executive committee named; Israel objects
The White House released on Friday the names of officials and outside figures who will serve on an executive committee to carry out the Board of Peace’s vision for Gaza. That committee includes Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Trump envoy Steve Witkoff alongside private-sector figures including Apollo Global Management CEO Marc Rowan, former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, and World Bank President Ajay Banga.
Israel’s government objected on Saturday, saying the executive committee’s formation “was not coordinated with Israel and is contrary to its policy.”
The Trump administration has frequently clashed with the United Nations, targeting billions of dollars in U.S. funding to international organizations and humanitarian programs. Administration officials and allies have accused U.N. agencies of running “bloated” and redundant bodies that promote what they describe as “woke” ideology.