U.S. President Donald Trump announced the withdrawal of Canada's invitation to join the "Board of Peace," a new international organization Trump established aiming to play a role replacing the United Nations. This decision followed a sharp public exchange between the leaders of the two countries.
The conflict erupted when Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney delivered a speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos, warning of the collapse of the U.S.-led world order and calling for "middle powers" to unite against economic coercion by "great powers." Although he did not mention Trump by name, the speech caused significant displeasure among U.S. leadership.
Trump posted on the Truth Social platform addressing Prime Minister Carney, stating, "This letter confirms that the 'Board of Peace' withdraws Canada's invitation to join." He had previously criticized Canada for receiving "too much free" support from the U.S. and suggested Canada should show gratitude, adding, "Canada survives because of the U.S. Remember that, Mark."
Beyond the speech issue, sources indicate a major obstacle is "money." Trump set a high entrance fee of $1 billion (approximately 31 billion baht) for permanent members to fund the board's operations, while Canada signaled it would "willingly join but will not pay the fee."
Although the U.S. government claims the Board of Peace aims to end the war in Gaza and oversee reconstruction, the organization's draft charter does not mention Palestine. Instead, it appears to grant Trump the authority to act as "lifetime chairman," potentially overlapping with United Nations functions.
Over 60 countries have been invited, with about 35 accepting, including Argentina, Belarus, Vietnam, Hungary, Turkey, and Saudi Arabia. However, permanent members of the U.N. Security Council — China, France, Russia, and the United Kingdom — have not joined. France stated the organization's charter "conflicts" with international obligations.
Prime Minister Carney responded to Trump's remarks during a visit to Quebec, saying, "Canada does not survive because of the U.S., but Canada thrives because we are Canadians." Meanwhile, the European Union, represented by European Council President Antonio Costa, expressed concern about the Board of Peace's structure and management but indicated willingness to cooperate solely on Gaza reconstruction as part of a "transitional task force."
/sourceBBC