Elon Musk made a lighthearted remark about Donald Trump’s newly established Board of Peace during his appearance at the Davos summit today. This appearance signifies a change of stance for the billionaire, who had previously voiced criticism towards the World Economic Forum gathering in Switzerland. Musk engaged in a conversation with Laurence Fink, the CEO of BlackRock and interim co-chair of the forum.
In a playful tone, Musk suggested that Trump’s Board of Peace should be named “piece,” humorously proposing the acquisition of “a little piece of Greenland, a little piece of Venezuela.” He quipped, “We’re gonna make this interesting,” before teasing the US President about the Peace Summit formation.
Trump recently launched the Board of Peace to oversee efforts in maintaining a ceasefire in Israel’s conflict with Hamas, expressing enthusiasm for broad participation in the initiative despite some US allies opting out. Originally intended as a small group to monitor the ceasefire, the peace board has evolved into a more ambitious project, drawing skepticism regarding its composition and objectives from some nations typically aligned with the US.
The UK has decided not to immediately join the Board of Peace due to concerns over potential Russian involvement, as confirmed by the Foreign Secretary, Yvette Cooper. While discussing potential support for the Gaza peace process with allies, the UK deliberates its role in the initiative.
Despite certain countries abstaining from participation, Trump emphasized that 59 nations had endorsed the board, although only 19 countries, including the US, were represented by heads of state, top diplomats, and officials at the unveiling event. Addressing the attendees from various countries, Trump hailed them as “the most powerful people in the world.”
Previously a prominent supporter of Trump, Musk served as the head of the Department of Government Efficiency during the president’s campaign, a role that faced criticism for failing to meet targets. Following his departure from the position, Musk experienced a public falling out with the president.
Musk’s presence at Davos follows his online mockery of the exclusive gathering in 2023, where he ridiculed the World Economic Forum for taking itself too seriously. He criticized the WEF as an unelected global authority that the public did not endorse. Despite Musk’s claim of rejecting an invitation to Davos, a WEF spokesperson stated that he was not invited.
Furthermore, Musk is currently engaged in a verbal dispute with Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary stemming from a disagreement over installing Starlink systems on Ryanair aircraft. O’Leary dismissed Musk’s suggestion of purchasing the budget airline.
