Friday, January 23, 2026 — Dalena Reporters
In a dramatic turn at this year’s World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, U.S. President Donald Trump withdrew Canada’s invitation to join the newly formed “Board of Peace” an international initiative designed to support peace and reconstruction in Gaza and oversee broader conflict-resolution efforts. The rejection of Canada follows diplomatic friction between Trump and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, underscoring rising tensions among Western allies over global governance, foreign policy and the role of emerging diplomatic frameworks.
Trump announced the decision in a public post on Truth Social, stating his Board of Peace was formally withdrawing Canada’s invitation to participate in what he described as “the most prestigious Board of Leaders ever assembled, at any time.” The terse message was directed at Prime Minister Carney and came hours after the Board’s founding charter was unveiled at the forum earlier this week.
The invitation reversal follows Carney’s widely-reported address at the World Economic Forum, in which he warned that the post-World War II rules-based global order was under strain and called for middle powers to band together in resisting coercive tactics by larger states. He did not mention Trump by name, but his pointed critique of current diplomatic trends was widely interpreted as a challenge to U.S. leadership.
Carney had initially indicated that Canada was open, “in principle,” to joining the Board — but stressed there were still significant unanswered questions about its structure, financing and governance. Canada also made clear it would not pay the $1 billion contribution that Trump had floated as an option for permanent membership, even though participation was said to be free for an initial three-year period.
Trump’s public response framed Carney’s speech as ungrateful, asserting that Canada should show greater appreciation for past U.S. support. In remarks before the invitation was withdrawn, he said Canada “gets a lot of freebies from us” and should be more thankful — a comment that drew criticism and rebuttals in Ottawa, where Carney said Canada “thrives because we are Canadian.
Unveiled on January 22, 2026 at Davos, the Board of Peace is intended to serve as a coalition of national leaders to help manage ceasefire implementation and reconstruction in Gaza following years of conflict. Trump has touted it as a major diplomatic achievement and a vehicle for U.S. leadership on global security challenges.
However, the initiative has already attracted controversy, with some traditional Western allies declining to participate and questions raised about its funding model and its relationship to existing multilateral institutions like the United Nations. Nations that have appeared among founding members include Argentina, Bahrain, Morocco, Pakistan and Turkey — while key U.S. partners such as Britain, France and Italy have stayed on the sidelines.
The withdrawal of Canada’s invitation could signal shifting dynamics in North American diplomatic relations, particularly at a moment when Canada is seeking to assert its own voice on the world stage and balance ties with both the United States and other global partners. Carney’s critique of the rules-based order, widely lauded by delegates in Davos, reflects a growing discourse among middle powers on sovereignty and cooperative diplomacy.
As the Board of Peace moves forward without Canada at its founding table, international observers will be watching closely to see if the initiative gains broader legitimacy — and whether this setback affects long-term cooperation between Ottawa and Washington on global peace efforts.