Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney (L) and US President Donald Trump.
Credit: Reuters Photos
Taking a U-turn, US President Donald Trump on Thursday withdrew an invitation for Canada to join the Board of Peace initiative launched to resolve global conflicts.
The retraction comes after Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney's speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos, where he openly criticised powerful nations using economic integration as weapons and tariffs as leverage.
"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 Truth Social post directed at Carney.
Trump had invited Canada to join on the board, to which Carney's office said it had planned to accept the invitation.
Carney received a standing ovation -- a rare sight at Davos -- as he urged countries to accept the end of a rules-based global order.
He said Canada recently singed a trade deal with China, adding that it shows "middle powers" might act together to avoid being victimised by American hegemony.
'Canada lives because of the US'
In a sharp retort, Trump said Canada "lives because of the United States," adding that the neigbouring country should be grateful to his country.
"Remember that, Mark, the next time you make your statements," he added, addressing Carney directly.
Trump withdrew Canada's invitation only hours after the board was officially launched by Trump. It has initially been made for a peace treaty in Gaza.
Permanent members must help fund the board with a payment of $1 billion each, according to Trump.
"Once this board is completely formed, we can do pretty much whatever we want to do," Trump said in Switzerland on Thursday.
The board was endorsed by a United Nations Security Council resolution as part of Trump's Gaza peace plan.
UN spokesperson Rolando Gomez said on that the agency's engagement with the board would only be in that context.
Member nations include Argentina, Bahrain, Morocco, Pakistan and Turkey. However, US allies like Britain, France and Italy have indicated they will not join for now.