Trump Withdraws Canada’s Board of Peace Invitation After PM Carney's Explosive Davos Speech
- President Donald Trump has withdrawn Canada’s invitation to join the Board of Peace amid rising diplomatic tension with Prime Minister Mark Carney
- Ottawa had signalled willingness to join the board but declined to pay the proposed $1bn membership fee for permanent members
- European leaders raised doubts about the board’s scope and governance while remaining open to limited cooperation in Gaza
The diplomatic rift between Washington and Ottawa has deepened on Thursday, January 22, after US President Donald Trump withdrew Canada’s invitation to join his newly formed Board of Peace, a body he has promoted as a fresh mechanism for resolving global conflicts.
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Trump announced the decision in a post on Truth Social addressed directly to Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney.
“Please let this Letter serve to represent that the Board of Peace is withdrawing its invitation to you regarding Canada's joining,” he wrote.
The post did not explain the reason for the reversal.
The withdrawal came days after Canada signalled willingness to join the board in principle, while making clear it would not pay the proposed membership fee attached to permanent participation.
Canada’s PM silent after Trump's move
Carney’s office did not immediately respond to Trump’s announcement. The prime minister had earlier indicated openness to participation, even as Ottawa expressed reservations about the financial terms.
The White House has said permanent members would be required to pay $1bn to support the board’s operations.
Trump’s Board of Peace grants the US president wide authority as chairman and is being presented by his administration as a new international organisation.
While it was initially associated with efforts to end the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza and oversee reconstruction, its draft charter makes no specific reference to the Palestinian territory.
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Major UN members cautious about joining
The board’s scope and structure have raised concerns among US allies and European leaders. About 60 countries have been invited to participate and roughly 35 have agreed to join, according to the White House. Those listed include Argentina, Egypt, Turkey, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Hungary.
However, none of the other permanent members of the UN Security Council, China, France, Russia and the UK, have committed to joining.
France has said the charter was “incompatible” with its international obligations, particularly its role within the United Nations. The UK has also expressed unease over the inclusion of Russian President Vladimir Putin, whose forces invaded Ukraine in 2022.
European Council president Antonio Costa said EU leaders held serious reservations about the board’s scope and governance.
Speaking after an EU summit in Brussels, he said:
“We have serious doubts about a number of elements in the charter of the Board of Peace related to its scope, its governance and its compatibility with the UN Charter.”
He added that the bloc remained willing to cooperate with the United States on Gaza under a transitional framework.
Carney's Davos speeches fuel tensions
Trump’s decision to axe Canada followed remarks by Carney at the World Economic Forum in Davos, where the Canadian leader warned of a potential “rupture” in the US-led global order.
He urged middle powers to work together against economic coercion by larger states, without naming the United States.
A day later, Trump responded sharply at the same forum, saying Canada benefited heavily from the US.
“Canada lives because of the United States,” he said. “Remember that, Mark, the next time you make your statements.”
Carney pushed back on Thursday while speaking in Quebec.
“Canada doesn't live because of the United States. Canada thrives because we are Canadians,” he said.
Spain later confirmed it had declined an invitation to join the Board of Peace, adding to uncertainty over the initiative’s future acceptance among Western allies.
Full list of countries Trump invited
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that US President Donald Trump had invited a wide range of global leaders to participate in a proposed “Board of Peace for Gaza,” a body intended to oversee his 20-point framework for ending the conflict and guiding reconstruction efforts in the Palestinian enclave.
The invitations were issued ahead of the World Economic Forum in Davos, where Trump wants the agreement formally unveiled.
Source: Legit.ng
