Donald Trump has withdrawn an invitation for Canada to join his 'board of peace' initiative, a move announced on Truth Social on Thursday. The board, launched at the World Economic Forum in Davos, is intended to resolve global conflicts, with Trump as its chair. Originally described as a temporary body to oversee Gaza's governance and reconstruction, permanent members are required to pay $1bn each.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney had accepted the invitation in principle before Davos, though he noted that officials had not yet reviewed all details. However, Canada's Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne stated on Tuesday that Canada did not plan to pay the $1bn fee.
In a speech at Davos on Tuesday, Carney criticized Trump's aggressive behaviour, describing a 'rupture' in the rules-based world order. Trump responded on Wednesday, asserting that 'Canada lives because of the United States.' Carney countered on Thursday: 'Canada thrives because we are Canadian.'
Trump claimed the board would be 'one of the most consequential bodies ever created' and that once formed, it could 'do pretty much whatever we want to do' in conjunction with the United Nations. The board's establishment was endorsed by a UN Security Council resolution as part of Trump's Gaza peace plan. Member nations include Argentina, Bahrain, Morocco, Pakistan, and Turkey, while allies like Britain, France, and Italy have declined to join for now.
