President Donald Trump has formally revoked Canada’s invitation to join his newly launched Board of Peace following a public war of words with Prime Minister Mark Carney at the World Economic Forum in Davos.
The rupture came after Carney signaled that Canada had “preconditions” before paying the Board’s $1 billion membership fee, which Trump has framed as essential to rebuilding Gaza and enforcing global stability.
Tensions escalated when Trump suggested that “Canada lives because of the United States,” a remark Carney openly rejected.
“Canada doesn’t live because of the United States. Canada thrives because we are Canadian,” Carney said after returning home.
Trump responded swiftly on Truth Social, announcing Canada’s disinvitation in blunt terms.
“Please let this Letter serve to represent that the Board of Peace is withdrawing its invitation to you regarding Canada’s joining,” Trump wrote, calling the body “the most prestigious Board of Leaders ever assembled, at any time.”
The decision marks a dramatic diplomatic break between two longtime allies and comes as European leaders largely boycott the Board altogether. France has refused to participate, Italy has delayed a decision, and Denmark was not invited amid ongoing tensions over Trump’s push to acquire Greenland.
Carney had used his Davos speech to warn against coercion by major powers, a thinly veiled critique of Trump’s foreign policy posture. He urged middle-tier nations to band together to resist pressure from global superpowers.
“If we’re not at the table, we’re on the menu,” Carney said.
Trump, meanwhile, accused Canada of benefiting unfairly from U.S. protection and trade arrangements. He argued that Carney’s rhetoric showed a lack of appreciation for America’s role in Canada’s prosperity.
Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick dismissed Carney’s Davos remarks as performative, per the Daily Mail.
“Give me a break,” Lutnick said. “They have the second best deal in the world and all I got to do is listen to this guy whine and complain.”
The clash unfolded as Trump unveiled the Board of Peace, an international organization he will personally chair. The body requires a $1 billion fee for permanent membership and grants Trump authority over funding decisions and succession.
Critics argue the board appears designed to rival or supplant the United Nations. Supporters say it cuts through bureaucracy and puts enforcement power directly in the hands of leaders willing to act.
Trump has said the Board will promote “stability, lawful governance, and enduring peace,” though its charter makes no specific reference to Gaza despite earlier framing.
European skepticism has deepened amid Trump’s renewed push to expand U.S. influence in the Arctic. Canada has openly opposed American ambitions regarding Greenland and has backed Denmark’s claim to the territory.
“We stand firmly with Greenland and Denmark,” Carney said. “They have the right to determine their own future.”
Trump has not backed off. He has floated Canada becoming the 51st state, promoted U.S. control of Greenland, and recently posted altered maps showing Canada and other nations folded into American territory.
Despite the diplomatic fallout, Trump has made clear he is unfazed by international resistance.
The Board of Peace is moving forward without Canada and without most of Europe.
