On Thursday, February 19, 2026, global leaders and foreign dignitaries gathered in Washington, D.C., for the highly anticipated inaugural Board of Peace meeting.
What began late last year as a targeted initiative to oversee the ceasefire and reconstruction of the Gaza Strip has rapidly expanded into something much larger and much more controversial. With the U.S. President officially designated as “chairman for life,” many international observers are now openly asking: is Trump creating a parallel UN designed to sidestep traditional global governance?
What is the Board of Peace meeting?
To understand the gravity of today’s events, one must first ask, “What is the Board of Peace?
Originally endorsed by the United Nations Security Council in late 2025 (Resolution 2803), the board was initially tasked with supervising a transitional technocratic government in Gaza and deploying an International Stabilization Force. However, the charter signed last month in Davos completely rewrote the organization’s scope. It is now a permanent, standalone international organization aimed at resolving global conflicts, with Donald Trump wielding unilateral executive veto power.
Perhaps the most startling detail of the charter is its “pay-to-play” structure. Permanent membership requires countries to pay a staggering $1 billion into a fund controlled by the chairman.
The Guest List
The guest list for the Board of Peace meeting reveals a deeply divided global community. For those wondering who is attending the Trump peace board, the roster leans heavily toward the Middle East, Central Asia, and Latin America.
Over 40 countries are represented, with about 27 acting as founding members. Nations like the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Turkey, Kazakhstan, and Argentina have officially signed on. However, traditional Western allies are notably absent or relegated to the sidelines. Major democracies such as the UK, France, and Germany declined to join, while countries like Italy and Greece are attending merely as observers, unwilling to commit to the billion-dollar price tag or the centralized power structure.
Bypassing the United Nations
The absence of core European allies at the Board of Peace meeting highlights the central fear among diplomatic circles: the emergence of a parallel UN.
Critics argue that by drawing funding and focus away from the United Nations, this new board weakens established international law. By tying diplomatic access to a massive financial entrance fee and placing absolute authority in the hands of one individual, the initiative replaces democratic, multilateral consensus with a purely transactional model.
The reactions to Trump Board of Peace meeting from global civil society have been blistering. Organizations like Democracy Without Borders have condemned it as an “unacceptable and regressive shift,” while Brazilian President Lula da Silva accused Trump of trying to create “a new UN where only he is the owner.”
Looking Ahead
Those following the Trump peace summit today live updates have already seen significant financial commitments. Trump announced this morning that the United States will pledge $10 billion to the board, noting that member states have collectively pledged an additional $5 billion toward Gaza relief and reconstruction efforts.
While the immediate focus remains on deploying stabilizing forces to the Middle East, experts are deeply concerned about the long term impact of Trump peace initiative. If successful, it could fundamentally fracture the post-WWII global architecture. Power would migrate from the inclusive, rules-based halls of the UN in New York to a closed-door, access-driven boardroom in Washington.Whether this newly minted Board of Peace meeting represents a pragmatic breakthrough in global conflict resolution or the hostile takeover of international diplomacy remains the defining geopolitical question of 2026.
