Trump Withdraws Invitation to Canadian PM for Peace Commission
On Thursday, President Trump declared that the invitation extended to Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney for a “peace commission” in Gaza has been rescinded.
In a social media post, Trump wrote, “Dear Prime Minister Carney, It has begun.” He further stated, “Please let this letter serve as an affirmation that the Peace Committee withdraws at any time the invitation to join Canada’s most prestigious leadership committee ever assembled. Thank you for your consideration in this matter!”
While the specific reasoning for the withdrawal wasn’t provided, it coincided with Carney’s rebuttal to Trump’s earlier criticisms of Canada during the World Economic Forum in Davos. Carney asserted, “Canada doesn’t survive because of the United States. Canada thrives because we are Canadians.”
This statement came shortly after Trump suggested at the forum that “Canada lives because of the United States.” He further urged Carney to keep this in mind in future discussions.
Trump had also voiced grievances about Canada receiving “freebies” from the U.S., suggesting they should express gratitude. This exchange followed Carney’s comments at a forum where he spoke about the “collapse of the world order.” The Canadian Prime Minister, facing challenges in negotiating trade deals due to Trump’s tariffs, called for “middle powers” to “act together.”
As the designated first chairman of the peace commission, Trump retains significant veto power over its decisions, including which countries are included in its discussions. It is noteworthy that while the commission’s initial term is free for three years, the President anticipates contributions totaling $1 billion from participating countries for future funding aimed at rebuilding Gaza.
Trump has praised this commission as “the greatest and most prestigious board ever convened,” boasting the involvement of representatives from around 100 nations. However, some prominent European leaders, such as France’s Emmanuel Macron and Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskiy, have declined to participate, raising concerns about potential Russian influence and the impact on the United Nations’ authority.
Notably, several countries, including Argentina, Egypt, and Turkey, participated in the initial ceremony at Davos, marking a diverse representation despite the controversies surrounding the commission.
