By: Rita Cook
WASHINGTON D.C. – The World Economic Forum has always been a contentious topic for Americans.
This year there were 65 heads of state and government, representing about 40 percent of the world’s population.
Even so, the energy was different from year’s past. In part this was due to BlackRock’s CEO Larry Fink having taken the reigns as WEF’s Interim Co-Chair when Klaus Schwab stepped down in April of last year.
President Donald Trump’s attendance this year also saw WEF making a major turn.
Even Fink pointed out “Will anyone outside this room care? Because if we’re being honest, for many people this meeting feels out of step with the moment: elites in an age of populism, an established institution in an era of deep institutional distrust.”
He said, “It’s also obvious that the world now places far less trust in us to help shape what comes next” adding his ideas to how WEF can be useful going forward, starting with regaining trust.
Then Trump stepped on the stage and aside from the banter regarding Greenland, and Cal. Gov. Gavin Newsome who many wondered why he was even there, he also presented the creation of his Board of Peace.
He also formally removed the United States from the World Health Organization, which many thought was a sudden move. It was not, it was merely official on January 22, 2026, the Executive Order to withdraw had been signed by Trump on January 20, 2025, and had required a one-year notice period.
Leaving the United Nation’s health agency did not however remove the U.S. from the United Nations since it is one of the five permanent members.
Even so, some whispers had Trump’s “Board of Peace” of which he will chair for life is a strong UN rival.
Partnering with as many as 35 countries who have already signed or agreed to do so, the Board of Peace will be part of the solution to a series of global conflicts.
Some Western allies did not attend the signing ceremony, which took place in Davos, Switzerland during the World Economic Forum.
The countries that did attend and join the board included regional Middle East powers such as Israel, Turkey, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Qatar as well as Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Morocco, Vietnam, Argentina, Bulgaria, Bahrain, Kosovo, Paraguay, Pakistan, Indonesia, Jordan, Mongolia, and Uzbekistan.
France declined the offer as did Denmark, Slovenia, Norway, Sweden, U.K and likely Belgium who at one point said, “Belgium has at no point had any intention of signing the charter.”
Canada was uninvited to join after words between Trump and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney.
China and Russia acknowledged they received invitations but have not confirmed.
Russian President Vladimir Putin indicated he would consider the invitation if the proposed $1 billion to join could be taken from Russian assets frozen in the U.S.
To secure a permanent seat on the board countries must pay at least $1 billion while other members will have three-year terms.
Trump, has in the past ridiculed the U.N. for its “empty words” that “don’t solve war.”
Currently according to some news reports the Board of Peace charter does not mention Gaza, but it is at the forefront.
Overall, the charter suggested a broader mandate to “promote stability, restore dependable and lawful governance, and secure enduring peace in areas affected or threatened by conflict.”
The White House confirmed the founding members of the Executive Board would include Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff, Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, former British Prime Minister Tony Blair and World Bank President Ajay Banga.
Rita Cook is a world traveler and writer/editor who specializes in writing on travel, auto, crime and politics. A correspondent for Texas Metro News, she has published 11 books and has also produced low-budget films.
