US President Donald Trump withdrew an invitation for Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney to join his Board of Peace after Canada declined to pay for a permanent seat, marking one of several challenges facing the newly formed body.
Disinvitation and Concerns
“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, what will be, the most prestigious Board of Leaders ever assembled, at any time,” Trump posted on his Truth Social network Friday morning.
Prior to Trump’s post, Spain’s leader announced his country’s decline of an invitation to the board, following a similar announcement by France on Thursday. Several European Union officials have also expressed concern about the board’s mandate and potential conflict with the United Nations.
Carney departed from the World Economic Forum in Davos before Trump inaugurated the committee of world leaders, which is currently tasked with implementing the US peace plan for the Gaza Strip.
Board’s Mandate and Membership
Although initially intended to oversee Gaza’s rebuilding, the board’s charter makes no mention of the Palestinian territory and appears to aim to rival the United Nations. A mandate for a Board of Peace was authorized by the UN Security Council in November 2025, but only through 2027 and solely focused on the Gaza conflict.
The Canadian government stated it would not pay to join the body, which requires a $1 billion fee from countries seeking permanent membership, according to the charter.
European Council President Antonio Costa said Friday after an EU leaders’ summit in Brussels that European leaders have “serious doubts about several elements in the charter of the Board of Peace related to its scope, its governance and its compatibility with the UN Charter.”
However, Costa added, “We are ready to work together with the US on the implementation of the comprehensive Peace Plan for Gaza, with a Board of Peace carrying out its mission as a transitional administration.”
EU member states have largely refrained from joining the Board of Peace, with Hungary and Bulgaria being the exceptions.
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said Thursday before a summit of EU leaders, “We want to work for the peace in the Middle East and we want this board of peace to be limited to the UN Security Council resolution as it was foreseen. So if we narrow it down to Gaza like it was meant to be, then we can work with it.”
During the board’s unveiling ceremony on Thursday, Trump stated that it “can spread out to other things” once it succeeds in Gaza, adding, “We can do numerous other things… We can do pretty much whatever we want to do, and we’ll do it in conjunction with the United Nations.”
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez told reporters Thursday that his country had “declined” the invitation to participate, citing consistency with Madrid’s commitment to international law, the UN, and multilateralism. He also noted the Board of Peace does not include the Palestinian Authority.
Israel has joined the board, along with Middle Eastern countries such as Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates.
London has expressed concerns about the inclusion of Russian President Vladimir Putin, whose forces continue to fight in Ukraine following the 2022 invasion.
France stated the charter, as it currently stands, is “incompatible” with its international commitments, particularly its UN membership. French Foreign Ministry spokesman Pascal Confavreux told reporters that the charter does not focus solely on Gaza and contains elements contrary to the UN charter.
Canada-US Relations
In the lead-up to the Board of Peace dispute, Canada’s prime minister drew international attention with comments about a “rupture” in the US-led global order. In Davos, Carney condemned coercion by major powers against smaller nations, without naming Trump.
Trump responded, saying, “Canada lives because of the United States. Remember that, Mark, the next time you make your statements.”
Upon returning to Canada on Thursday, Carney replied to Trump, stating, “Canada doesn’t live because of the United States. Canada thrives because we are Canadian.”
Carney emphasized that Canada and the US have a strong partnership in economy, security, and cultural exchange, but asserted, “we are masters in our home, this is our own country, it’s our future, the choice is up to us.”
Trump has discussed making Canada the 51st state and this week posted an altered map of the US that includes Canada, Greenland, Venezuela, and Cuba as part of its territory.
Trump said in Davos that Canada receives many “freebies” from the US and “should be grateful,” adding that Carney’s Davos speech showed he “wasn’t so grateful.” He also mentioned Canada’s potential participation in the “Golden Dome” — a multibillion-dollar missile defense system inspired by Israel’s Iron Dome, which he says will be operational before his term ends in 2029.
In a speech before a cabinet retreat in Quebec City, Carney said maintaining Canada’s sovereignty requires staying true to its values. He stated, “We can show that another way is possible, that the arc of history isn’t destined to be warped toward authoritarianism and exclusion; it can still bend toward progress and justice.” Carney concluded, “Canada must be a beacon — an example to a world at sea.”
Lazar Berman contributed to this article.
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