The Board of Peace — headed by President Donald Trump — is meeting for the first time in Washington, D.C.
Key U.S. allies are absent from the summit because they are concerned Trump may challenge the United Nations with his ambition of using the body to help resolve global conflicts, per NBC News.
Representatives from at least 40 countries, including heads of state, were expected to attend the summit, which is taking place at the U.S. Institute of Peace, a senior U.S. official told NBC News.
Several world leaders were in attendance, including Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and Argentinian President Javier Milei, both allies of Trump.
Trump opened the meeting with his favorite campaign rally songs. Participants were handed red MAGA-style hats emblazoned with “USA.”
Trump, Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and the president’s son-in-law and adviser, Jared Kushner are representing the U.S.
“What we’re doing is very simple — peace,” Trump said, calling it an “easy word to say” but “hard to produce.”
Trump said the initiative was “one of the important and consequential things, I think, that I’ll be involved in.”
Trump is expected to announce a multi-billion-dollar reconstruction plan for Gaza, along with contributions from board members.
The president said over the weekend more than $5 billion had been pledged. He did not identify the countries who have pledged.
He is also set to unveil the details of plans for a United Nations-authorized stabilization force in Gaza, including a number of countries that the U.S. official said are planning to dedicate several thousand troops.
A senior U.S. official told NBC News that the meeting will include updates on “all the lines of effort,” including humanitarian assistance, the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza, and the International Stabilization Force.
Key U.S. allies, including U.K., France, Norway, Sweden and Slovenia, chose not to join due to its its potential to undermine the U.N.’s role in peacekeeping efforts.
