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President Donald Trump announced he had rescinded an invitation sent to Canada to join his ‘Board of Peace,’ which he formally launched earlier on Thursday, just days after Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney made headlines with a speech that took aim at Trump’s foreign policy moves and warned of a “rupture” in the U.S.-led global system.

President Donald Trump told Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney that Canada is no longer invited to join his “Board of Peace” although its unclear if Ottawa ever intended to join.

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In a post on Truth Social, Trump directly addressed the Canadian leader, saying: “Dear Prime Minister Carney: Please let this Letter serve to represent that the Board of Peace is withdrawing its invitation to you regarding Canada’s joining.”

The post added that the “Board of Peace” will be “the most prestigious Board of Leaders ever assembled, at any time,” and ended with Trump’s signature phrase, “Thank you for your attention to this matter!”

It is unclear if an actual letter with this same text has been sent from the White House to the Canadian Prime Minister’s office, or if Trump only made the announcement on Truth.

Trump did not say what triggered his decision to disinvite Canada from joining the board, although Ottawa had said it will not pay the $1 billion contribution for joining the board.

The post comes just days after Carney’s speech on the U.S.-led global order being in the “midst of a rupture, not a transition,” as he urged the world’s “middle powers” to unite and push back against coercion by superpowers.

As Carney’s speech drew praise from world leaders, Trump responded by saying: “Canada lives because of the United States.”

Which Countries Have Joined The Board Of Peace So Far?

Although the White House has claimed 35 countries have agreed to join, a list compiled by the Washington Post shows only 25 countries have formally announced they are joining. This list includes Albania, Argentina, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Belarus, Bulgaria, Egypt, Hungary, Indonesia, Israel, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kuwait, Mongolia, Morocco, Pakistan, Paraguay, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan and Vietnam. Leaders of some of those countries, including Argentina’s President Javier Milei, Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, Indonesia’s President Prabowo Subianto, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and a few others, joined Trump on stage on Thursday morning at Davos to sign the board’s charter. It is unclear whether all 25 members have agreed to contribute the $1 billion required for permanent membership.

What Had Canada Said About Joining The Board Of Peace?

On Sunday, Carney spoke with reporters in Doha and said he has agreed in “in principle” to join the “Board of Peace” saying: “There is a humanitarian tragedy in Gaza that is ongoing and Canada will make every effort possible to address this situation.” While initially pitched as a group to address the war in Gaza, Trump has since signaled an expanded mandate for the group, to address all international conflicts. Later in the week Canadian Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne told reporters in Davos, “There [are] a lot of details to be worked out, but one thing which is clear is that Canada is not going to pay if we were to join the Board of Peace.”

Who Are The Other Invitees To The Board Of Peace?

Aside for the 25 who have agreed to come on board, the Trump administration had sent invites to at least 33 other nations, including all major European allies, China, Russia, India, Japan, Brazil and several others. Aside from the U.S. none of the UN Security Council’s veto-wielding permanent members—France, China, Russia and the United Kingdom—have formally joined the group. Several European leaders have expressed concerns about the structure of the group, and concerns that it could encroach on the United Nations’ mandate. The U.K. in particular has expressed concern about Trump’s decision to extend an invite to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Which Countries Have Rejected The Board Of Peace Invite?

While most European allies have expressed skepticism about the board’s structure, some have outright said the will not join. In a press conference on Thursday, Sweden’s prime minister Ulf Kristersson said: “We will discuss this with other EU countries, but as the text currently stands Sweden will not be signing it.” Slovenia’s Prime Minister Robert Golob said his country won’t be joining because “the committee’s mandate is too broad and that it could dangerously undermine the international order based on the United Nations Charter.” After an EU summit in Brussels on Thursday, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez told reporters that his country appreciated the invitation, “but we declined it.” French President Emmanuel Macron has also rejected the invite, his office announced Monday, saying the board’s charter “goes beyond the framework of Gaza and raises serious questions, in particular with respect to the principles and structure of the United Nations, which cannot be called into question.”

Further Reading

Trump Launches ‘Board Of Peace’—Says Group Will Work With The UN (Forbes)