US President Donald Trump has formally withdrawn Canada’s invitation to join his newly established Board of Peace, deepening diplomatic tensions between the two long-standing North American allies. The decision was announced late Thursday through a post on Trump’s Truth Social platform and was addressed directly to Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney. No explicit reason was given for the withdrawal, but it comes after days of political friction, sharp public remarks, and disagreement over the board’s structure and funding.
Canada had earlier indicated that it was open to joining the Board of Peace in principle but had made clear that it would not pay the proposed $1bn membership fee that Trump has said permanent members would be required to contribute. Ottawa’s position appears to have frustrated the White House, especially as Trump seeks to present the board as a powerful, well-funded alternative mechanism for resolving global conflicts.
The Board of Peace, which grants Trump sweeping authority as chairman for life, has been promoted by the US administration as a new international organisation designed to mediate wars and oversee post-conflict reconstruction. It was initially thought to be focused on ending the ongoing conflict in Gaza and managing reconstruction efforts in the region. However, critics have pointed out that the board’s draft charter makes no direct reference to Gaza and instead outlines a much broader mandate that could overlap with, or even replace, functions traditionally carried out by the United Nations.
Tensions between Trump and Carney escalated earlier this week following the Canadian leader’s speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos, where he warned of a potential “rupture” in the US-led global order. Although Carney did not mention Trump by name, he urged so-called “middle powers” to work together in response to economic coercion by larger nations. The speech received a standing ovation, an outcome that reportedly angered the US president.
A day later, Trump used his own appearance at the Davos gathering to criticize
Canada directly, claiming the country benefits excessively from its relationship with the United States. “Canada lives because of the United States,” Trump said, adding that Ottawa should be more grateful for what he described as American support and protection.
Carney responded forcefully after returning to Canada, rejecting Trump’s remarks during a speech in Quebec. “Canada doesn’t live because of the United States,” he said. “Canada thrives because we are Canadians,” a statement that was widely interpreted as a direct rebuttal to Trump’s comments.