The newly formed Peace Board of President Donald Trump will convene today for its first official meeting in Washington, marking the first session following its founding at the Davos Summit on January 20, 2026.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stated on Wednesday that more than 20 countries will be represented at Thursday’s meeting and that details on the distribution of $5 billion in contributions will be provided.
Leavitt was asked about specifics regarding Gaza’s reconstruction and the $5 billion the board is expected to oversee. She declined to provide most details, noting that they will be made public during the meeting.
When asked who will manage the board’s financial decisions, Leavitt explained that Trump, as chairman, will oversee them, but there will also be other member levels.
“It will be the Peace Board, with the president as chairman,” she said. “But all member states, I believe, will have votes on funding. And then, of course, there is a technocratic layer under the official Peace Board with the member states, which will also make decisions.”
A senior U.S. official told ABC News that updates will be provided on the board’s efforts, including humanitarian aid to Gaza, the National Committee for Gaza Administration, and the International Stabilization Force. Updates will come from multiple speakers, including Trump, the Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, White House Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner — who, together with Witkoff, negotiated a peace deal between Israel and Hamas — former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair, U.S. Ambassador to the UN Mike Walz, and Nickolay Mladenov, former UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, who will serve as the board’s Director General.
The meeting will take place at the Donald J. Trump Peace Institute, which was reappointed by the American Peace Institute in December after Trump’s administration had earlier dismissed most of its board and staff as part of government efficiency efforts to reduce U.S. foreign aid.
More than two dozen countries accepted Trump’s invitation to join the Peace Board, including Middle Eastern powers such as Israel, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Egypt. Notably, none of the U.S.’s major European allies have joined, with some expressing concerns that the board may seek to replace the United Nations.
When asked on Monday whether the Vatican would participate as an observer, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Vatican Secretary of State, stated that it would not, citing “certain critical issues that need to be resolved.”
In a social media post on Sunday, Trump claimed that the board “will prove to be the most important international body in history.”
Gaza’s reconstruction is expected to take years and could cost over $70 billion, according to an operational damage and needs assessment conducted last year by the UN, the European Union, and the World Bank.
At last month’s signing ceremony in Switzerland for the Peace Board, Jared Kushner presented some of the board’s plans for Gaza’s redevelopment. The “main plan” includes hundreds of high-rises, new cities, and a coastal tourist zone. Kushner noted that construction will take two to three years and require at least $25 billion in investment, while immediate focus will remain on delivering humanitarian aid to Gaza.
Trump also called on Hamas to honor its commitment to disarmament — a key requirement for lasting peace and a central component of the U.S.-mediated peace plan for Gaza.
Albania and Kosovo are also participating in this new structure. Albania ratified its membership in parliament with 110 votes in favor following an invitation from Edi Rama from Donald Trump, while Kosovo was represented by President Vjosa Osmani in Davos, where she signed the founding document.
President Osmani has described Kosovo’s inclusion as a member and co-founder of the Peace Board as one of the most significant foreign policy developments in recent years, emphasizing that it directly strengthens Kosovo’s international agency.
“The Republic of Kosovo remains committed to working closely with our main ally, the United States, and the Peace Board to deliver tangible results, support peace and stability in conflict-affected regions, and promote a future based on cooperation, security, and shared prosperity,” President Osmani stated.
