Trump Pulls Canada Invite After Carney Rejects Payment

Former US President Donald Trump has withdrawn the invitation extended to Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney to join the proposed “Board of Peace,” marking a fresh escalation in tensions between the two leaders.

The decision came late Thursday night (local time), just days after the Carney-led Canadian government made it clear that it would not pay to become part of the new body, which Trump has promoted as a high-profile international platform aimed at helping end global conflicts.

In a post on his social media platform, Truth Social, Trump announced the move in blunt terms. Addressing Carney directly, he wrote that the Board of Peace was withdrawing its invitation to Canada to join what he described as “the most prestigious Board of Leaders ever assembled, at any time.”

The row is the latest chapter in a growing war of words between Washington and Ottawa that began earlier this week at the World Economic Forum in Davos. There, Carney drew global attention with a speech in which he spoke of a “rupture” in the US-led, rules-based global order. He argued that middle powers such as Canada, which prospered during the era of American dominance, must accept that the world has changed and that “compliance” would no longer guarantee protection from pressure or aggression by major powers.

Trump responded the very next day, mocking Carney during his own public remarks. “Canada lives because of the United States. Remember that, Mark, the next time you make your statements,” he said.

Carney fired back on Thursday, rejecting the claim outright. “Canada doesn’t live because of the United States,” he said. “Canada thrives because we are Canadian.”

The exchange underlines the widening political and rhetorical gap between the two leaders, even as Canada and the United States remain each other’s closest trading partners and long-time allies.

What is the ‘Board of Peace’?

The “Board of Peace” was initially conceived as a body to oversee the rebuilding of war-torn Gaza, but its scope appears to be far broader. According to the charter sent to invited countries, the organisation is described as an international body that seeks to promote stability, restore lawful governance, and secure lasting peace in areas affected or threatened by conflict.

The document adds that the board will carry out peace-building work in accordance with international law and does not limit its role to the Palestinian territory.

Despite the ambitious language, the proposal has already faced scepticism from several countries. Canada’s refusal to pay to join the body appears to have been the immediate trigger for Trump’s decision to revoke the invitation.