US President Donald Trump has withdrawn Canada’s invitation to join his newly formed Board of Peace, deepening already strained relations between Washington and Ottawa.
The decision was announced late Thursday in a post on Trump’s Truth Social platform.
Addressing Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney directly, Trump wrote: “Please let this Letter serve to represent that the Board of Peace is withdrawing its invitation to you regarding Canada’s joining.”
The sudden reversal has raised fresh questions about the future of US–Canada relations and Trump’s evolving approach to global diplomacy.
The withdrawal came just days after Carney delivered a widely praised speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos.
In that address, he warned of a possible “rupture” in the US-led global order. He also urged middle powers to diversify trade and strengthen economic resilience. Although the United States was not named, the message was widely seen as a critique of Washington’s recent trade policies.
However, Trump appeared displeased by the remarks. Meanwhile, tensions were already high following US tariffs on Canadian goods.
Trade talks had also been halted earlier after an anti-tariff advertisement aired in the United States.
Therefore, the diplomatic atmosphere was already fragile before the Davos exchange.
On Wednesday, Trump publicly scolded Canada, saying it should be “grateful” to the US. A day later, he escalated matters by cancelling Canada’s Board of Peace invitation. No formal explanation was provided in the post, adding to the surprise surrounding the decision.
Canada had previously signalled openness to joining the initiative. In fact, Carney had said last week that he would accept the invitation in principle.
However, Ottawa had made it clear it would not pay the proposed $1bn membership fee required of permanent members. Moreover, this funding issue may have quietly fuelled the fallout.
The war of words soon intensified. Speaking again at Davos, Trump claimed Canada benefits excessively from its southern neighbour.
“Canada lives because of the United States,” he said, adding, “Remember that, Mark, the next time you make your statements.”
Carney responded firmly the following day while speaking in Quebec. “Canada doesn’t live because of the United States. Canada thrives because we are Canadians,” he said, drawing applause at home.
The Board of Peace, originally designed to help stabilise Gaza and oversee reconstruction after the Israel-Hamas war, has grown into a broader diplomatic platform.
About 60 countries have been invited so far. According to the White House, around 35 have agreed to participate. These include Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Egypt, Qatar, Israel, Indonesia and Argentina.
Nevertheless, Canada’s exclusion highlights growing unease among traditional US allies.
