Trump's new enterprise is both absurd and worrying

The US president’s board of peace’ is the clearest sign yet of his expansionist intentions, writes a concerned Bel Trew

- Bel Trew

We are going to have peace in the world, declared US president Donald Trump as he inaugurated his “board of peace” in Davos, Switzerland, flanked by representatives from a hodgepodge of 19 countries.

A quick scan of the figures sitting somewhat uncomfortably on stage revealed a lot. Among them was Hungary’s authoritarian leader Viktor Orban. Glaring absences included the US’s traditional and most powerful European and Nato allies.

The UK, for example, has stayed away for now, concerned by the inclusion of Russia.

Many are presumably reeling from Trump’s repeated insistence on Wednesday that he deserves to take over Nato-partner Greenland (or Iceland, as he kept saying), an action that could itself trigger the end of the alliance and, potentially, war.

But no matter.

After a characteristically rambling speech, in which Trump took aim at the United Nations and congratulated himself on single-handedly ending several wars, he heralded the beginning of “beautiful, everlasting and glorious peace”.

He told the group, ranging from Azerbaijan to Paraguay: “You’re the most powerful people in the world.” “We can do pretty much anything we want to do,” he added with worrying prescience.

And this is the concern.