Trump Convenes Inaugural Peace Council in Washington: Gaza Reconstruction and UN Tensions Take Center Stage

On Thursday, February 19, 2026, President Donald Trump presided over the inaugural session of his Peace Council in Washington, D.C. The high-stakes meeting was hosted at the "Donald J. Trump Institute of Peace," the facility formerly known as the United States Institute of Peace. Representatives from more than 40 nations attended the event, serving as either full members or observers, with approximately a dozen countries specifically choosing to participate in an observer capacity as the new diplomatic body begins its work.

The primary focus of this first gathering was the comprehensive reconstruction of the Gaza Strip following the ceasefire reached in October 2025, alongside the strategic deployment of the International Stabilization Force (ISF). During the proceedings, President Trump announced that over $5 billion has been secured for rebuilding efforts. While significant, this sum represents only a small portion of the estimated $70 billion required to fully restore the territory after two years of devastating hostilities. The Peace Council operates under the formal authority of UN Security Council Resolution 2803, adopted on November 17, 2025, which mandated the council to coordinate Gaza’s recovery pending the reform of the Palestinian National Authority.

Although the Council’s charter—ratified during the Davos summit on January 23, 2026—is technically centered on Gaza, Trump utilized the meeting to outline a much broader geopolitical vision. He described the Peace Council as the world’s most influential "board of directors," possessing unparalleled prestige and power to dictate global peace efforts. However, his remarks suggesting that the Council would oversee the United Nations to ensure it "works properly" have been met with skepticism. Key Western allies, including the United Kingdom, France, and Germany, attended only as observers, reflecting widespread concerns regarding the potential for the Council to emerge as a direct rival to the UN.

The session also provided a platform for outlining specific security measures. Major General Jasper Jeffers, the head of the ISF, confirmed that personnel commitments for the international force have been secured from Indonesia, Morocco, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, and Albania. Furthermore, Egypt and Jordan have committed to providing training for these security forces. The meeting saw the attendance of several high-profile international figures, such as Argentine President Javier Milei, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, and FIFA President Gianni Infantino. Notably, there was no Palestinian representation present at the discussions.

In addition to foreign policy, the meeting’s documentation touched upon the administration’s economic impact. Recent economic studies highlighted that tariffs introduced by the Trump administration led to a tripling of costs for mid-sized American companies over the previous year. This data stands in stark contrast to the administration’s narrative of trade success. Further projections indicate that these trade policies could result in a 0.5 percent decline in the United States' GDP by the year 2035, adding a layer of domestic economic complexity to the administration's international agenda.

The venue for the summit, the U.S. Institute of Peace, was originally established by Congress in 1984. The recent renaming of the building to the "Donald J. Trump Institute of Peace" is the culmination of an intense legal battle over the control of the institution. While the Washington meeting demonstrated the United States' firm resolve in managing post-conflict stabilization, it also highlighted the increasing friction between the current administration and traditional multilateral institutions like the United Nations.