In a dramatic escalation of tensions between the United States and Canada, President Donald Trump has withdrawn his invitation to Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney to join his newly established “Board of Peace”. Saying that the board will be the “most prestigious Board of Leaders ever assembled,” he said that he is withdrawing the invitation, without citing any reason.
Trump posted on his Truth Social, “Dear Prime Minister Carney: 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. Thank you for your attention to this matter!”
The withdrawal marks another incident of strain in the relationship between the two neighbouring countries. US-Canada relations have been on a downward trend caused by the tariffs imposed by the US, and Trump’s insistence on making Canada the 51st state of the USA. He also keeps insulting Canadians with his comments. As a result, Canada has withdrawn trade barriers with China, and recently announced a major trade deal, including the lowering of import duty on Chinese EVs from 100% to just 6%.
The withdrawal comes after Carney’s explosive speech at the World Economic Forum meeting in Davos, in which he strongly criticised Trump’s recent actions in attempting to annex Greenland. Carney’s address, delivered on January 20 at the WEF’s 56th Annual Meeting, was a stark critique of the shifting global order. The Canadian leader described the current era as a “rupture” in the rules-based international system, marking the end of the post-World War II period of stability.
Without naming Trump explicitly, Carney warned of unconstrained geopolitics among great powers, urging “middle powers” like Canada, Australia, and others to band together in a “principled and pragmatic” alliance to counterbalance larger nations and preserve legitimacy, integrity, and rules. He emphasised Canada’s strategic engagement “with open eyes,” rejecting a return to a “pre-Trump normal” and highlighting issues like U.S. ambitions toward Greenland as symbols of the new “brutal reality.” The speech was met with widespread acclaim, earning a rare standing ovation from the Davos audience of political and corporate elites. It was hailed it as a “world-defining” moment and a “clarion call” for middle powers to reorganise amid global upheaval
Trump’s “Board of Peace,” unveiled yesterday at the same Davos forum, was initially framed as a body to oversee Gaza’s reconstruction following a U.S.-brokered ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas conflict. However, its charter has expanded to a broader mandate for promoting stability in conflict zones worldwide, with Trump serving as the indefinite chairman. Trump has touted it as “the Greatest and Most Prestigious Board ever assembled,” potentially rivalling the United Nations in scope.
Despite the hype, the initiative has struggled to gain traction. Only 19 countries attended the signing ceremony, including Bahrain, Morocco, Argentina, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Hungary, Indonesia, and others primarily from the Middle East, Eastern Europe, and Asia. Major powers such as China, India, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Australia, etc. have not joined. Many have announced they are not participating in the Board, citing concerns over the Board’s overlap with U.N. functions, lack of transparency in its charter, and potential to undermine multilateral institutions.
Notably, Russia was also invited, and several European nations have cited this as the reason for not joining. However, Putin said that he will join and pay the $1 billion fee for permanent membership, only if the money is paid from Russian assets frozen by the US govt.
