FT News Briefing Trump’s divisive 'Board of Peace’
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Jan 23, 2026 
Mehul Srivastava, an FT reporter on international politics, discusses Trump's controversial 'Board of Peace', exploring its origins and potential to challenge the UN. Najmeh Buzorgmir, the FT Tehran correspondent, provides firsthand accounts of Iran's government crackdown, detailing property seizures and the unrest's impact. Victoria Craig offers insights into the upcoming Federal Reserve meeting, the expectations for interest rates, and propositions for potential successors to Fed chair Jay Powell.
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Trump's Expanded Board Of Peace
- Donald Trump expanded a Gaza-focused initiative into a global "Board of Peace" and held a Davos signing with few major European powers present.
- The charter risks creating an alternative world order where Trump has outsized influence compared with the UN.
Uneven Membership And Big Price Tag
- Membership skews toward monarchs, ex-Soviet figures, military-backed regimes and Israel, while key EU states abstained.
- A $1bn fee for perpetual membership and Trump's lifetime leadership underline concerns about legitimacy and influence.
Potential Rival To The UN
- Europeans fear the Board could be designed to replace or bypass the United Nations and the rules-based order.
- The Board offers a vehicle where Trump could exert greater sway than within multilateral institutions.