Trump withdraws Canada from his proposed 'board of peace'

Donald Trump withdrew an invitation for Canada to join his "board of peace" initiative, posting on Truth Social that "the Board of Peace is withdrawing its invitation to you regarding Canada’s joining" in a message directed at Canadian prime minister Mark Carney. Trump launched the board at the World Economic Forum in Davos, calling it one of "the most consequential bodies ever created in the history of the world." The board, which will be chaired by Trump, was originally described as a temporary body to oversee the governance and reconstruction of Gaza.

Permanent members must help fund the board with a payment of $1bn each, according to Trump. Member nations include Argentina, Bahrain, Morocco, Pakistan and Turkey, and a UN security council resolution endorsed the board's establishment as part of Trump’s Gaza peace plan; UN spokesperson Rolando Gomez said UN engagement would be only in that context.

Before Davos, Carney had accepted in principle but said his officials had not yet reviewed "all the details of the structure, how it’s going to work, what the financing is for, etcetera," and that "Canada wants money to have maximum impact." Canada’s finance minister said Canadians did not plan to pay the $1bn asked for a permanent seat.

Carney used his Davos address to describe what he called "a rupture" in the rules-based world order; Trump told attendees "Canada lives because of the United States," and Carney responded, "Canada doesn't live because of the United States.

Key Topics

World, Donald Trump, Mark Carney, World Economic Forum, Un Security Council, Gaza