Trump's Rambling Board of Peace Speech Takes Bizarre Turns
Former President Donald Trump delivered a meandering, nearly 40-minute address at the inaugural meeting of his self-styled Board of Peace in Washington, D.C., on Thursday, February 19, 2026. The speech veered from threats against Iran to complaints about not receiving the Nobel Peace Prize, and concluded with the unexpected playing of the Village People's "YMCA."
Strange Comments on Appearance and Preferences
During his remarks, Trump made peculiar comments about physical appearance and personal preferences. After referring to Paraguayan President Santiago Peña as a "young, handsome guy," Trump felt compelled to clarify his stance.
"It's always nice to be young and handsome — it doesn't mean we have to like you. I don't like young handsome men," Trump declared. He added, "Women, I like. Men, no, I don’t have any interest," before laughing nervously.
Targeting Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
Trump then pivoted to insult the intelligence of New York Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a longtime political opponent. Without naming her directly, he referenced a recent appearance where Ocasio-Cortez gave a hesitant answer about America's defense commitment to Taiwan at the Munich Security Conference.
"There was one young, attractive woman, she was unable to answer questions, and she didn't do so well like JD did in college," Trump said, contrasting her with Vice President JD Vance's academic record. He suggested the moment could be "career ending" for her, predicting political opponents would use it against her for years.
Board of Peace Context and Controversy
The Board of Peace meeting was held at the former headquarters of the United States Institute for Peace, which Trump and Elon Musk's "Department of Government Efficiency" had attempted to dismantle the previous year. The building has since been renamed after Trump by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, though Trump claimed this was done without his knowledge.
The organization, described in its charter as seeking to "promote stability, restore dependable and lawful governance, and secure enduring peace," requires member states to donate $1 billion for permanent membership. Trump serves as chairman for life and as the first American representative.
International Participation and Gaza Focus
Most attendees were autocratic leaders and Middle Eastern monarchs who offered extensive praise to Trump during the hours-long session. Notably absent were major European allies, with Hungary being the only EU member state participating under Prime Minister Viktor Orban.
Despite the board's stated purpose of overseeing Trump's 20-point Gaza peace plan, the charter makes no specific mention of Gaza. However, Trump announced commitments totaling at least $7 billion from countries including Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, UAE, Morocco, and Saudi Arabia, plus troop or police training assistance from nations like Indonesia, Egypt, and Jordan.
Iran Threats and Self-Promotion
Trump used the platform to issue warnings to Iran, threatening "bad things" if a nuclear deal isn't reached within "the next, probably 10 days." He also repeated his frequent claim of having ended up to eight world conflicts singlehandedly, despite most remaining ongoing.
The speech exemplified Trump's efforts to position himself as a transformative global leader through this new international organization, which operates independently of traditional diplomatic structures like the United Nations.
