In a bold move that challenges the authority of the United Nations, President Donald Trump is establishing a “Board of Peace” to play a role in resolving global conflicts beyond the Gaza region. This latest U.S. attempt to sidestep the UN Security Council raises serious questions about the relevance and future of the 80-year-old world body as the primary force in brokering peace worldwide.
Trump’s ambitions for the Board of Peace appear to be the latest in a series of U.S. actions that have undermined the UN’s influence. The Trump administration has previously sought to eliminate billions in funding to international organizations and humanitarian assistance, while accusing the UN of having “bloated” and redundant agencies that push “woke” ideology.
The UN Security Council, which holds the power to authorize military action, has struggled in recent years to end conflicts in areas like Gaza and Ukraine. Trump has seized on this, stating that “the UN just hasn’t been very helpful” and that he has never even thought to go to them to resolve wars.
Despite Trump’s complaints, he has acknowledged the UN’s potential, saying “you got to let the UN continue, because the potential is so great.” However, in forming the Board of Peace, he has described its role as a potential rival to the Security Council, tasked with mediating global conflicts.
Retired U.S. Ambassador Robert Wood warned that if Trump is trying to replace the Security Council with the Board of Peace, “I don’t think there’s going to be a lot of interest.” Wood urged the UN member states, including the United States, to work together to make the organization a better instrument for conflict resolution.
UN officials have dismissed immediate concerns, stating it is unlikely that decades of multilateral peacebuilding could be replaced. However, the initiative has already faced skepticism from several countries, including France, Norway, Sweden, and Slovenia, which see it as undermining the international order based on the UN Charter.
The move comes at a time when Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has warned that the rules-based international order is “under threat,” singling out the United Nations among other multilateral institutions. UN Secretary-General António Guterres has expressed confidence in the future of the organization, stating, “I have a lot of confidence in the future of humankind, and I’m fighting as much as I can in order to make sure the UN is part of that renewal.”
As the world grapples with an array of global challenges, the future of the United Nations and its role in conflict resolution hangs in the balance, with Trump’s “Board of Peace” posing a potential challenge to the UN’s long-standing authority.
