Peace Council will expand beyond Gaza to global role, says Trump

• President Trump says newly formed Peace Council will have global ambitions beyond Gaza.
• Council aims to coordinate reconstruction, stability, and peace efforts with UN support.
• First official meeting scheduled in Washington on February 19.

US President Donald Trump said the Peace Council, announced earlier this year, will extend its work beyond Gaza to promote peace worldwide.

Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One Tuesday, Trump said world leaders involved in the council will contribute significant funding to support its mission.

“The council will go beyond Gaza,” he said, emphasizing that it coordinates with the United Nations, despite his criticism of the UN’s performance, which he described as “falling short of its potential.”

Trump added that the council includes some of the “greatest leaders in the world” and could become the most important council ever, with a focus on success in Gaza and broader peace in the Middle East.

Founding and funding

Trump first announced the Peace Council on January 15, following U.N. Security Council Resolution 2803 in November 2025, which outlined the council’s oversight role in post-ceasefire arrangements in Gaza.

The council, composed of 27 members, has pledged over $5 billion for humanitarian aid and reconstruction efforts in Gaza, and plans to deploy thousands of personnel as part of a proposed stability force. Trump emphasized that the council “will prove to be the most important international body in history.”

First official meeting

The council is set to hold its inaugural session in Washington on Thursday, February 19, marking its first official gathering since its founding charter was signed at the Davos forum.

The council will launch “an international initiative to rebuild Gaza, uniting countries, institutions, and partners in a sustained campaign to lay the foundations for sustainable prosperity and a better future for the territory”, according to invitations sent to member states.

Controversy and scrutiny

Several Western countries have declined to join the council, citing concerns over the broad powers granted to Trump, including veto rights and lifetime appointments. Observers have noted that the council’s structure could be seen as creating a parallel international platform capable of bypassing the roles of the United Nations and Security Council.

Trump will chair the council, which holds a mandate from the U.N. Security Council to oversee the ceasefire implementation in Gaza, including civil administration and reconstruction efforts.