“Please let this letter serve to represent that the Board of Peace is withdrawing its invitation to you regarding Canada’s joining,” Trump wrote.

Board launched at World Economic Forum

Trump formally rolled out the Board of Peace earlier this week on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, where world leaders gathered for the signing of its charter. Trump has said he will serve as chairman of the body.

The initiative was initially presented as a mechanism to oversee the Gaza ceasefire and post-war reconstruction, but has since expanded into a broader international conflict-mediation forum.

Trump vs Canada at Davos

Carney had not publicly said whether it would accept the invitation before it was withdrawn. The Canadian prime minister was not present at the launch event in Davos.

Trump did not explain why Canada’s invitation was withdrawn. Canada’s Prime Minister’s Office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Canada’s finance minister François-Philippe Champagne then said on Tuesday that the Canadians did not plan to pay the $1bn countries were asked to hand over to Trump for a permanent seat on the board that was originally described as a temporary body to oversee the governance and reconstruction of Gaza.

In a frank address to world leaders at Davos on Tuesday, Carney described what he called “a rupture” in the previous “rules-based” world order overseen by the United States caused by Trump’s aggressive behaviour.

When he arrived in DavosTrump made it clear that he had heard or at least heard of Carney’s viral speech.

“Canada lives because of the United States,” Trump said in his own address on Wednesday. “Remember that, Mark, the next time you make your statements.”

“Canada doesn’t live because of the United States,” Carney responded Thursday. “Canada thrives because we are Canadian.”