US President Donald Trump has unveiled the 'Board of Peace', a controversial new international body dubbed by critics as his personal 'United Nations'.

This initiative forms part of the second phase of a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, signed by both parties in October 2025.

Trump has extended invitations to around 60 countries, including India, to join what he describes as a 'critically historic and magnificent effort' to secure lasting peace in the Middle East and beyond.

In a letter to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, shared on social media by US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor, Trump highlighted his September 29 announcement of a comprehensive plan to end the Gaza conflict.

He referenced a 20-point roadmap for Middle East peace, which garnered overwhelming support through UN Security Council Resolution 2803. The letter positions the Board of Peace at the heart of this vision, establishing it as a transitional governing administration and new international organisation.

Trump praised the board as 'the most impressive and consequential board ever assembled', aimed at uniting a 'distinguished group of nations' committed to peace-building. He emphasised that permanent membership requires a $1 billion contribution to fund operations, offering three-year terms otherwise. The White House clarified this as a mechanism for partners demonstrating 'deep commitment to peace, security, and prosperity'.

The board's immediate mandate focuses on Gaza, authorised by the UN Security Council until 2027, with the goal of rebuilding the enclave. US officials told CBS that 'virtually every dollar' raised would support this reconstruction, operating without 'exorbitant salaries and massive administrative bloat'. 

Trump has appointed key figures to the executive board, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, special envoy Steve Witkoff, son-in-law Jared Kushner, former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair, Apollo Global Management CEO Marc Rowan, World Bank President Ajay Banga, and deputy national security advisor Robert Gabriel.

Trump envisions chairing the board for life, starting with Gaza before expanding to other conflicts he claims to have resolved. This expansion clause in the invitation letter has raised alarms among European governments and diplomats, who fear it undermines the United Nations. One diplomat described it to Reuters as a 'Trump United Nations' that ignores UN charter fundamentals, potentially eroding the body's universal legitimacy.

Three Western diplomats expressed concerns that the board could sideline UN efforts, while an Israeli source and others noted Trump's ambitions for a broader role in global peacekeeping. The invitation document criticises existing institutions for failing through 'approaches that have too often failed', calling for a 'more nimble and effective' alternative. Trump declared it 'one of a kind; there has never been anything like it'.

A senior UN official avoided direct comment but reaffirmed the UN's unique moral and legal authority to unite all nations. UN General Assembly President Annalena Baerbock warned on Sky News that questioning this role risks 'very, very dark times'. Smaller nations, reliant on the UN for voice since 1945, are likely to object, alongside veto-holding powers China and Russia, who oppose disruptions to the world order.

India's response remains uncertain, with no official statement from the Modi government. The invitation arrives amid strained US-India ties over a failed trade deal, where Indian exports face 50 per cent US tariffs—one of the highest globally. Ambassador Gor posted on Facebook that he was 'honoured' to relay the invite, stressing the board's role in Gaza's 'stability and prosperity'.

Pakistan, India's neighbour and adversary, has indicated willingness to engage in Gaza peace efforts, having received a similar invitation. Trump's move aligns with his pattern of bold, unilateral diplomacy, bypassing traditional multilateral frameworks.

Critics argue it prioritises donor nations, potentially creating a pay-to-play peace architecture that favours wealthy participants.

Proponents, however, see it as pragmatic innovation, unburdened by UN bureaucracy. The board's success hinges on buy-in from invited nations and navigation of geopolitical rivalries. As convening looms, it tests Trump's influence in a multipolar world, where alternatives to established institutions provoke fierce debate.

The Gaza ceasefire's second phase provides a proving ground, with reconstruction needs immense after prolonged conflict. Funding commitments will signal seriousness, but expansion beyond 2027 requires UN re-endorsement, unlikely without broad consensus. Ultimately, the Board of Peace challenges the post-war global order, blending ambition with controversy.

Based On NDTV Report