US President Donald Trump on Thursday rescinded an invitation previously extended to Canada to join his proposed Board of Peace, an initiative designed to address and mediate global conflicts. The decision marked a sudden reversal and came shortly after Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney delivered a high-profile speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos.
Trump’s change of stance followed Carney’s remarks in Davos, where the Canadian leader openly criticised powerful countries for turning economic integration into a tool of coercion and using tariffs as a means of political and strategic pressure. Carney had warned that such practices were undermining trust in the global system and accelerating the breakdown of the existing international order.
Announcing the decision on his Truth Social platform, Trump wrote a sharply worded message addressed directly to Carney, stating that the Board of Peace was formally withdrawing its invitation to Canada. He described the initiative as “the most prestigious Board of Leaders ever assembled” and made clear that Canada would no longer be considered for participation.
Neither the Canadian Prime Minister’s Office nor the White House immediately responded to requests from Reuters for comment on the withdrawal late on Thursday. Just a week earlier, Carney’s office had publicly confirmed that Canada had received an invitation to join the board and that the prime minister intended to accept it.
Carney’s Davos speech had been met with strong approval from the audience, earning him a rare standing ovation. In his address, he argued that the world was witnessing the collapse of the long-standing rules-based international order and urged countries to recognise this shift and adapt accordingly. He also suggested that Canada, having recently signed a trade agreement with China, could help demonstrate how “middle powers” might work together to avoid being pressured or dominated by American economic power.
Trump responded forcefully to Carney’s comments, asserting that Canada’s prosperity and security depended heavily on the United States. Speaking in Davos, he said Canada “lives because of the United States” and suggested that Carney should show greater appreciation for what he described as past American generosity. Addressing Carney directly, Trump warned him to remember that reality when making public statements.
The withdrawal of Canada’s invitation came only hours after Trump formally launched the Board of Peace, which was originally conceived as part of his plan to cement a ceasefire in Gaza before expanding into a broader conflict-resolution mechanism. Trump said permanent members of the board would be required to contribute USD 1 billion each to fund its operations.
Speaking in Switzerland, Trump claimed that once the board was fully established, it would have sweeping authority to act decisively on global issues. He added that the board would operate in coordination with the United Nations, though under US leadership.
The creation of the board has been endorsed by a United Nations Security Council resolution linked to Trump’s Gaza peace proposal. UN spokesperson Rolando Gomez clarified on Thursday that the UN’s engagement with the board would be limited strictly to that framework.
Countries that have agreed to join the Board of Peace include Argentina, Bahrain, Morocco, Pakistan and Turkey. However, several close US allies, including Britain, France and Italy, have indicated that they do not plan to participate at this stage.
