President Donald Trump said Thursday that his newly established Board of Peace will cooperate closely with the United Nations on Gaza’s future, while also ensuring that the global body “runs properly.”

Speaking at the first gathering of the Board of Peace at the Donald J. Trump U.S. Institute of Peace, the president said the U.N. holds “tremendous potential” but argued that it has “not lived up to that potential.”

Trump presented the Board of Peace as a proactive alternative to what he characterized as decades of ineffective international discussions.

“We’re going to be working with the United Nations very closely,” Trump said in opening remarks broadcast live on Newsmax. He added that the Board of Peace will “almost be looking over the United Nations and making sure it runs properly,” while the United States continues to assist the U.N. “moneywise” and seeks to bolster its facilities and operational capacity.

According to Trump, the board is intended to serve as a practical, results-focused body designed to help establish a long-term framework for Gaza following the ceasefire reached last fall.

The inaugural meeting was held even as significant challenges remain unresolved, including the question of Hamas disarmament, the withdrawal of Israeli forces, the coordination of humanitarian aid, and the creation and management of a reconstruction fund expected to require tens of billions of dollars.

Despite these outstanding issues, Trump signaled confidence that progress is being made. He declared that the war in Gaza “is over” and cited what he described as an expanding roster of countries committing financial resources, personnel, and training to support an international stabilization mission. He also cautioned that any refusal by Hamas to disarm would be “harshly met.”

During the event, Trump also commended members of his diplomatic team for what he described as major achievements.

“I want to thank Steve and Jared for an amazing job,” he said, referring to special envoy Steve Witkoff and his son-in-law Jared Kushner, whom he credited with playing a key role in securing the Abraham Accords during his first term.

The president then suggested an expanded role for Kushner, stating that Kushner “will also now be an envoy for peace.”

That statement was later clarified. I24 News correspondent Mordechai Wagenheim reported on X that a State Department official said Kushner “will not become ‘an envoy for peace’ in an official sense,” despite Trump’s remarks.

The broader effort has attracted both attention and skepticism internationally, in part because it intersects with the United Nations’ traditional position as the primary forum for global diplomacy.

Several American allies have chosen not to participate, while others have joined only as observers, prompting questions about the initiative’s legitimacy and long-term viability.

Still, Trump’s message at Thursday’s session was clear: the United States intends to take the lead, demand accountability, and press institutions such as the United Nations to produce tangible outcomes. The president emphasized that the ultimate objective should be lasting peace rather than prolonged bureaucracy within the international system.