US President Donald Trump has withdrawn an invite for Canada to join his newly constituted Board of Peace, in the latest spat between the North American neighbours.
Please let this Letter serve to represent that the Board of Peace is withdrawing its invitation to you regarding Canada's joining, Trump said on Truth Social in a post addressed to Prime Minister Mark Carney.
Carney made headlines this week warning of a rupture in the US-led global order. Ottawa also said it would not pay to join Trump's new body.
The board, which gives Trump wide decision-making powers as chairman, is being billed by the US as a new international organisation for resolving conflicts.
Trump did not give a reason in Thursday evening's post as to why he had decided to revoke Canada's offer.
Carney's office did not immediately respond. The prime minister had indicated last week he would accept Trump's invite on principle.
But Ottawa had indicated in recent days that it would not pay the $1bn (£740m) membership fee which Trump has said permanent members will be asked to pay to help fund the board.
His Board of Peace was originally thought to be aimed at helping end the two-year war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza and oversee reconstruction.
But its proposed charter does not mention the Palestinian territory and appears to be designed to supplant functions of the UN. Trump would be chairman for life.
Some 60 nations have been invited to join the board and about 35 have already signed up, according to the White House.
Those who have agreed to join so far include Argentina, Belarus, Morocco, Vietnam, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kosovo, Hungary, Egypt, Turkey, Qatar, Jordan, Indonesia and Saudi Arabia.
Carney appeared to irk Trump with a speech that won a rare standing ovation at the World Economic Forum in Davos.
He urged other middle powers to band together in the face of economic coercion by greater powers, although he did not mention Trump by name. A day later Trump told the gathering that Canada gets many freebies from the US and should be grateful.
On Thursday, Carney fired back, stating, Canada doesn’t live because of the United States. Canada thrives because we are Canadians.
