Davos, Jan 22 (UNI) US President Donald Trump kicked off his international "Board of Peace" ceremony in Davos and said that he wants it to work "in conjunction" with the United Nations, even as he criticized the UN for failing to live up to its potential.
"Once this board is completely formed, we can do pretty much whatever we want to do, and we'll do it in conjunction with the United Nations," he said in Davos. "I've always said the United Nations has got tremendous potential. Has not used it, but there's tremendous potential."
Notably, the "Board of Peace," which was formed specially to rebuild Gaza, does not mention the word Gaza.
"We have little fires that we'll put out, but they're little," he said, referring to ongoing conflicts. "The war in Gaza is really coming to an end."
However, Trump's comments quickly pivoted to threats directed at Hamas. In his usual combative style, he described the militant group as "born with rifles in their hands," warning that they must disarm or face dire consequences. "They have to give up their weapons, and if they don't do that, it's going to be the end of them," he asserted.
He earlier said that the Board of Peace "might" eventually replace the UN. But on Thursday he said he wanted the two to work in combination, contending it could result in "something very, very unique for the world."
He criticized the UN for not acting to resolve the conflicts.
Trump reiterated the so-called wars he believes he's ended and depicted himself as a peacemaker who has helped broker peace in the world. "On the eight wars that I ended, I never spoke to the United Nations, not any of them," Trump said. "They tried, I guess, in some of them, but they didn't try hard enough."
He also boasted about the country's booming economy as over a dozen world leaders, primarily from the Middle East and South America, looked on.
"We have a great mandate back at home. As I said yesterday, the US economy is booming," Trump declared. "When America booms, the entire world booms."
The ceremony, attended by fewer than 20 nations, saw no Western European allies, many of whom are wary of Trump's outreach to adversaries like Russia. In a lighthearted moment, Trump called the attending leaders “in most cases very popular, some not so popular.” UNI AAB