Trump Snubbed by Every Major Ally for Big Signing Ceremony
The president’s launch of his much-trumpeted ‘Board of Peace’ initiative featured representatives from fewer than 20 countries.
Some of the United States’ longest standing allies have scorned en masse a signing ceremony for Donald Trump’s new “Board of Peace” initiative.
Not a single representative from a Western European country was present at the launch Thursday morning at the World Economic Forum in Davos.

Armenia's Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, Donald Trump and Argentina's President Javier Milei, left, sign founding charter at the "Board of Peace" meeting during the World Economic Forum in Davos on January 22, 2026.
Benedikt von Loebell/Benedikt von Loebell/World Economic Forum
Fewer than 20 nations made an appearance, among them Gulf States like Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE, along with Argentina and Paraguay. The number stands well below the 35 anticipated by senior White House officials.

Leaders who did show up included Azerbaijani despot Ilham Aliyev and far-right Hungarian leader Viktor Orban.
Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
“Every one of them’s a friend of mine,” Trump said from the stage. “In this group I like every single one of them, can you believe it? Usually I have about two or three that I can’t stand.”
“They’re great people,” he added. “They’re great leaders.”
Get the best of The Beast delivered right to your inbox
By clicking “SUBSCRIBE” you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
As about a dozen world leaders sat stone-faced on the stage, Trump went on to brag that his new group would bring “glorious peace” to the Middle East.
“For that region and for the whole region of the world, because I’m calling the world a region,” he said. “The world is a region.”
“Everybody in this room is a star. You’re all stars,” he said.

There were moments during the signing when Leavitt appeared to be the only person applauding Trump.
FABRICE COFFRINI/AFP via Getty Images
At several points throughout the signing ceremony, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt appeared to be the only person in the room loudly applauding before others slowly joined in.
Trump’s “Board of Peace,” which offers permanent membership for a $1 billion dollar fee, has the stated goals of “promoting stability” and restoring “lawful governance” in conflict zones, initially focusing on reconstruction of the Gaza Strip. But critics have slammed the initiative as an effort by Trump to create a MAGA-fied corollary to the United Nations.
Israel, whose president Isaac Herzog is presently at the Davos summit, did not send a representative to Wednesday’s ceremony.
Other invitees who’d otherwise attended the conference—among them French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney—also did not show up.
European partners have expressed skepticism about the “Board of Peace” given the U.S. president’s decision to invite Russian tyrant Vladimir Putin, who’s engaged in a bloody war against Western ally Ukraine, and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, a close Putin ally and key enabler of that conflict.

Macron, who had stern words for the U.S. during the Davos summit, had already left for France by the time of Trump's ceremony.
FABRICE COFFRINI/AFP via Getty Images
The initiative’s unveiling also came amid Trump’s own mounting threats to take control of Greenland, an autonomous territory of NATO ally Denmark, which the president has chalked up to his snub for the Nobel Peace Prize last year.
“Considering your Country decided not to give me the Nobel Peace Prize for having stopped 8 Wars PLUS, I no longer feel an obligation to think purely of Peace,” the MAGA leader wrote in a letter to Norway’s prime minister earlier this week.
The Norwegian government is not in any way affiliated with the Nobel Committee, a non-state body that decides independently who will be granted its various prestigious awards.
On Wednesday, Trump said progress had been made toward a deal on advancing U.S. interests in Greenland while avoiding military confrontation with other NATO members and the brewing trade war with Europe his threats have helped spark.
Unlock a year of full access to The Looker and The Daily Beast for $35.
Monthly
$1
First month then $5.99/month
Annual
$35
First year then $59.99/year
Premium
$79
First year then $119.99/year
*Substack access provided by the next business day, using your subscription email. Choosing the Premium plan constitutes your permission to share your subscription email with Substack and your agreement to Substack’s Privacy Policy.
Looks like you already have a subscription!
You're all set!
Thanks for subscribing.
Register below to read this article for free or subscribe
to unlock unlimited access to The Looker and The Daily Beast.
Monthly
$1
First month then $5.99/month
Annual
$35
First year then $59.99/year
Premium
$79
First year then $119.99/year
*Substack access provided by the next business day, using your subscription email. Choosing the Premium plan constitutes your permission to share your subscription email with Substack and your agreement to Substack’s Privacy Policy.
Already have an account? Sign In
Looks like you already have a subscription!
You're all set!
Thanks for subscribing.
Sign in
Login dialog



ADVERTISEMENT
Sign in or create an account
Login dialog
Loading comments…
ADVERTISEMENT