US President Donald Trump has withdrawn Canada’s invitation to join his newly launched Board of Peace initiative, just hours after formally unveiling the body and days after Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney delivered a sharply worded speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos.
The reversal followed Carney’s address in Davos, where he criticised powerful countries for turning economic integration into a tool of coercion. He warned against “powerful nations using economic integration as weapons and tariffs as leverage,” and urged the global community to acknowledge what he described as “the end of a rules-based global order.”
Trump announced the withdrawal in a public message directed at 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,” Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social dated January 23, 2026.
The decision marked an abrupt change of course. Just last week, Carney’s office confirmed that Canada had been invited to join the board and that the prime minister intended to accept.
Carney’s Davos remarks reportedly drew a rare standing ovation from attendees. He argued that Canada, fresh off a new trade agreement with China could demonstrate how “middle powers” might collaborate to avoid being “victimized by American hegemony.”
Trump responded sharply to those comments while also speaking in Davos, asserting that Canada “lives because of the United States” and urging Carney to show greater appreciation for Washington’s past support.
“Remember that, Mark, the next time you make your statements,” Trump said.
Canada’s disinvitation came just hours after Trump officially launched the Board of Peace, an initiative he initially described as a mechanism to help solidify a ceasefire in Gaza. Trump said permanent members of the board would be required to make a financial contribution.
“Permanent members must help fund the board with a payment of $1 billion each,” he said.
Speaking in Switzerland on Thursday, Trump outlined the scope of the board’s ambitions.
“Once this board is completely formed, we can do pretty much whatever we want to do,” he said, adding that its actions would be carried out “in conjunction with the United Nations.”
The board’s creation was endorsed by a United Nations Security Council resolution as part of Trump’s Gaza peace plan. However, UN spokesperson Rolando Gomez said UN engagement with the board would be limited strictly to that context.
Current member countries include Argentina, Bahrain, Morocco, Pakistan and Turkey. Several U.S. allies, including Britain, France and Italy, have indicated they do not plan to join the initiative at this time.
Neither Carney’s office nor the White House immediately responded to requests for comment, Reuters reported on Friday.
