United States President Donald Trump withdrew an invitation for Canada to join his Board of Peace initiative on Thursday, escalating tensions between the longtime allies following Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney’s speech warning against economic coercion by great powers.
“Please let this Letter serve to represent that the Board of Peace is withdrawing its invitation to you regarding Canada’s joining, what will be, the most prestigious Board of Leaders ever assembled, at any time,” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post addressed directly to Carney.
The withdrawal came hours after Trump officially launched the board at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland, with representatives from more than a dozen countries appearing at a signing ceremony for the board’s charter. Canada was notably absent from the event, as Carney attended his cabinet retreat in Quebec City instead.
Trump did not provide a specific reason for revoking Canada’s invitation in his Thursday evening post. However, the decision followed days of public sparring between the two leaders over Carney’s Tuesday speech at the WEF, which drew a rare standing ovation.
In his Davos address, Carney warned that the rules-based international order is breaking down as great powers increasingly wield economic and security leverage to coerce allies. Without mentioning Trump by name, the prime minister urged middle powers like Canada to band together and resist such pressure, describing recent events as a fundamental rupture in global affairs.
“The rules-based international order is effectively dead, while the world’s superpowers pursue their interests using economic integration as a weapon of coercion,” Carney stated during his speech.
Trump responded a day later at the WEF summit, accusing Canada of receiving numerous freebies from the United States without showing appropriate gratitude. Speaking from the Swiss Alpine resort, he said Canada should be thankful for American support.
“I watched your prime minister yesterday. He wasn’t so grateful. But they should be grateful to us. Canada lives because of the United States. Remember that, Mark, the next time you make your statements,” Trump stated.
Carney fired back on Thursday during a speech in Quebec, directly challenging Trump’s characterization of the relationship. The prime minister emphasized Canada’s independent strength and the mutual benefits of the bilateral partnership.
“Canada and the United States have built a remarkable partnership in the economy, in security and in rich cultural exchange. But Canada doesn’t live because of the United States. Canada thrives because we are Canadians,” Carney declared.
The Board of Peace was originally conceived to oversee the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas after more than two years of conflict in Gaza and manage reconstruction efforts. Trump has suggested the board could eventually expand to address other global conflicts once fully operational.
Approximately 35 countries have joined the initiative according to the White House, though most traditional United States allies have opted not to participate. Member nations confirmed to date include Argentina, Belarus, Morocco, Vietnam, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kosovo, Hungary, Egypt, Turkey, Qatar, Jordan, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain.
Major Western powers including the United Kingdom, France, Italy and Germany have indicated they will not join the board for now. Trump claimed some leaders want to participate but require parliamentary approval first, specifically naming Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Polish President Karol Nawrocki.
The board’s establishment received endorsement through a United Nations (UN) Security Council resolution as part of Trump’s Gaza peace plan. However, UN spokesperson Rolando Gomez clarified on Thursday that UN engagement with the board would only occur within that specific context.
Permanent members of the board must contribute 1 billion dollars to help fund its operations, according to Trump. Canada had expressed openness to joining but officials indicated in recent days the country would not pay the membership fee.
Carney’s office stated last week the prime minister had been invited to serve on the board and planned to accept in principle, though many details including financial terms remained unresolved. The prime minister left Davos early Wednesday morning around the time Trump was arriving, and the two leaders did not meet.
Relations between Canada and the United States have deteriorated significantly since Trump imposed tariffs on Canadian goods and later suspended trade talks following an anti-tariff advertisement aired in the United States. The tensions come as the three North American nations prepare to review the Canada United States Mexico Agreement (CUSMA), also known as the United States Mexico Canada Agreement, later this year.
United States Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick called Carney’s Davos speech “political noise” and warned that Ottawa’s recent deal with China could complicate CUSMA renegotiations. Lutnick accused the prime minister of complaining despite Canada having what he termed the second best trade deal in the world.
Carney conducted a high-profile visit to China last week, reaching a wide-ranging agreement with President Xi Jinping to reduce tariffs and rebuild ties. The deal saw Beijing cut tariffs on Canadian agricultural products while Ottawa increased quotas for imports of Chinese electric vehicles with a most favored nation tariff rate of 6.1 percent.
The Canadian prime minister has cultivated a relationship with Trump over recent months, making several trade concessions including rolling back retaliatory tariffs and canceling a planned digital services tax. However, these moves have not secured removal of United States tariffs on Canadian goods.
European leaders attending the Davos forum have repeatedly cited Carney’s speech throughout the week, echoing his warnings about fundamental changes in longstanding trade and defense relationships. The address appeared to resonate widely among nations concerned about shifting global power dynamics.
Trump struggled to attract traditional allies to the Board of Peace during its Davos launch. The initiative’s charter has not been publicly released, and questions remain about how the board will operate and what authority it will exercise beyond its stated Gaza mandate.
The president said during Thursday’s ceremony that once the board is completely formed, members can do pretty much whatever they want to do, adding they would work in conjunction with the United Nations. The broad scope suggested by Trump’s comments has raised concerns about the initiative’s true purpose and governance structure.
The rhetorical conflict between Trump and Carney marks a significant deterioration in relations between the neighboring countries, which share the world’s longest international border and maintain deeply integrated economies. The dispute could complicate efforts to maintain cooperation on issues ranging from defense and security to environmental protection and energy policy.
