President Donald Trump has suggested that his proposed “Peace Council” in Gaza could replace the UN, underscoring what one national security analyst has described as an overhaul of the “existing international order.”
Asked Tuesday whether he envisioned the new body replacing the U.N., Trump replied: “It could be.”
During a news conference at the White House, the president also told reporters that the U.N. has consistently failed to fulfill its mission.
“The UN just hasn’t been very helpful. I’m a big fan of the UN, but they’ve never lived up to their potential,” Trump said. Arguing that the UN should continue to exist, he added: “The UN should have settled all the wars I have settled.”
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President Donald Trump arrives at a dedication ceremony for a portion of Southern Boulevard that the Palm Beach City Council recently voted to rename President Donald J. Trump Boulevard at his Mar-a-Lago Club in Palm Beach, Florida, January 16, 2026. (Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP Photo)
National security analyst Kobi Michael claimed the proposal already marked a break with the international order that has defined world politics for decades.
Michael’s comments come as the Trump administration moves forward with plans for the administration, an initiative that officials say extends far beyond the immediate conflict in the Gaza Strip.
In a Jan. 16 statement, the White House said that, in line with the comprehensive plan to end the Gaza conflict, the “Peace Council will play an essential role in fulfilling all 20 points of the President’s plan, providing strategic oversight, mobilizing international resources, and ensuring accountability as Gaza transitions from conflict to peace and development.”
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President Donald Trump departs Air Force One after arriving at Palm Beach International Airport to attend a road dedication ceremony at his Mar-a-Lago club on January 16, 2026 in West Palm Beach, Florida. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
“Dozens” of countries had been invited, officials confirmed, and the formal invitations were sent out on Friday. Trump invited leaders from Russia, Belarus, China, Ukraine, India, Canada, Argentina, Jordan, Egypt, Hungary and Vietnam, among others.
The White House said Trump will chair the Peace Council and be joined by senior political, diplomatic and business figures, including Jared Kushner, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, US special envoy Steve Witkoff and billionaire Marc Rowan.
According to Michael, the initiative reflects a new approach to the international system.
“We are talking about something much bigger than the Gaza Strip,” he said, before describing “a revisionist approach by President Trump to the existing international order, with governance being an instrument in his vision of changing the existing international order.”
Michael said Iran is central to that calculation as protests swept the country under economic and political pressure.
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President Donald Trump invited Vladimir Putin and Alexander Lukashenko to join his “Council of Peace” in Gaza on Monday, January 19, 2026. (Vladimir Smirnov/AFP via Getty Images; Jonathan Ernst/Reuters)
“Iran is the real game changer, and we are facing a very important and dramatic change, well coordinated with Prime Minister Netanyahu,” he said.
Russia’s role in governance is uncertain as the Trump administration has sent invitations to Russia and Belarus, with Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirming that President Vladimir Putin is reviewing the offer.
Michael suggested that Moscow’s participation would come with conditions attached. “If Putin is involved, it will be to end the Ukrainian war and be forced to give up some important demands,” he said.
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“The president invited Putin to join the administration, agreeing with him on the distribution of power and influence, and promising him to ease sanctions and make a deal.”
“Yet alliances are out, while allies and regional structures are in,” Michael added.
