ReutersUS President Donald Trump has withdrawn an invitation for Canada to join his newly created Board of Peace, in the latest spat between the North American neighbours.
“Please let this Letter serve to represent that the Peace Council withdraws its invitation to you regarding Canada’s participation,” Trump told Truth Social in a post addressed to Prime Minister Mark Carney.
Carney made headlines this week warning of a “breakdown” of the US-led global order. Ottawa also said it would not be paid to join Trump’s new body.
The board, which gives Trump broad decision-making powers as chairman, is billed by the US as a new international organization for resolving conflicts.
Trump did not give a reason in Thursday night’s post for why he decided to withdraw Canada’s offer.
Carney’s office did not immediately respond. The prime minister said last week that he would accept Trump’s invitation in principle.
But Ottawa has indicated in recent days that it will not pay the $1bn (£740m) membership fee that Trump has said permanent members will be asked to pay to help fund the board.
His Board of Peace was initially believed to be aimed at helping end the two-year war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza and overseeing reconstruction.
But its proposed charter does not mention Palestinian territory and seems designed to replace the functions of the UN. Trump will be president for life.
About 60 countries have been invited to join the board and about 35 have already signed up, according to the White House.
Those who have agreed to participate so far include Argentina, Belarus, Morocco, Vietnam, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kosovo, Hungary, Egypt, Turkey, Qatar, Jordan, Indonesia and Saudi Arabia.
But none of the other permanent members of the UN Security Council – China, France, Russia, and the UK – have committed to participate so far.
Carney appeared to anger Trump in a speech that won a rare standing ovation this week at the World Economic Forum in Davos.
The prime minister urged other “middle powers” to unite in the face of economic pressure from “major powers”, although he did not mention the US president by name.
A day later Trump told a gathering at the Swiss Alpine resort that Canada got a lot of “freebies” from the US and it “should be thankful”.
“Canada lives because of the United States,” Trump said. “Keep that in mind, Mark, in your next statements.”
On Thursday, Carney fired back at Trump as he gave another speech on the House floor.
Speaking in Quebec, he said: “Canada did not survive because of the United States. Canada developed because we are Canadians.”