- By PTI
- Fri, 20 Feb 2026 12:15 AM (IST)
- Source:PTI
The US will strengthen the United Nations, make it viable, and help it "financially," President Donald Trump said Thursday, as he asserted that his Board of Peace will be "looking over" the global organization, ensuring it runs properly.
Trump made the remarks in his address to the inaugural meeting of the Board of Peace, which was initiated as part of the US President's 20-point peace plan to end the conflict in Gaza.
"And we are working very closely with the United Nations. In fact, I'm going to speak to the Secretary-General in a little while. He's a good man, and I've had a good relationship with him," Trump said.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is currently in India for the India AI Impact Summit.Trump's 'Board of Peace' on Gaza is perceived as a rival to the UN. The US leader has previously said that the Board of Peace "might" replace the UN, which he claimed has never lived up to its potential.
Addressing the event, which was attended by leaders of the nations that have joined the organization, Trump said Washington will be working with the United Nations very closely.
"We're going to bring them back. I think the United Nations has great potential, really great potential. It has not lived up to its potential," Trump said, adding that for the eight wars he "settled" in the first year of his second term, he "never" spoke to the UN about any of them, when in fact he should have spoken to the global body about all of them.
"Someday, I won't be here. The United Nations will be... is going to be much stronger. The Board of Peace will almost be looking over the United Nations and making sure it runs properly.
"But we're going to strengthen the United Nations. We're going to make sure its facilities are good. They need help, and they need financial assistance. We're going to help them financially, and we're going to make sure the United Nations is viable," Trump said.
The US is the largest financial contributor to the United Nations, responsible for about 22 percent of the world body's regular budget and about 25 percent of the peacekeeping budget.
But the US also owes about USD four billion to the world organization and has not yet paid its assessed dues.
Trump has been critical of the UN and has pulled Washington from several UN agencies, including the World Health Organization.
The US President said that there are some very good people at the UN, and the world body can do a good job.
"I've said it for years, the United Nations has tremendous potential," he said, adding that while many people have said they don't care about the UN, "... No, it's really very important, and I think it's going to eventually live up to its potential. That will be a big day."
Stephane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General, previously said that while he is not aware of any UN presence at the Board of Peace meeting in Washington, "We are working for the full implementation of the relevant Security Council resolution, which mentions the Board of Peace in relation to Gaza, and we continue to engage with the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza and all those with potential influence on the humanitarian situation on the ground."
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(Disclaimer: Except for the headline, this article has not been edited by The Daily Jagran staff and has been published through syndicated feed by PTI.)