Trump blends diplomacy and praise at inaugural Peace Board meetingBy Bo Erickson, Trevor Hunnicutt and Gram SlatteryWASHINGTON, Feb 19 (Reuters) - World leaders who accepted the invitation of President Donald Trump to join his new peace board were greeted in Washington on Thursday with a mix of fanfare and personal flattery. It was only those who did not attend the inaugural meeting of the board in Washington who received an ominous warning: "You can't play cute with me," Trump said. "President (Santiago) Pena of Paraguay is here," Trump said, pointing out the 47-year-old leader, "Young handsome guy. BEAUTIFUL PEOPLEBoard of Peace vs United NationsThe president suggested that his new board could overtake the United Nations in prominence. "I didn't know the surprise," Trump said, "I thought maybe they were going to give me a lot of money or something, maybe cash."

Source: Washington Post February 20, 2026 09:53 UTC