Davos, Switzerland. US President Donald Trump is due to address world leaders at the World Economic Forum on Thursday as tensions rise over his threats to buy or seize Greenland and European officials warn of a shift toward autocracy.
Trump is scheduled to speak at 2.30pm Davos time, after he was initially expected to focus on domestic affordability policies including housing costs.
Greenland remarks and tariff threats
Trump altered his expected focus after threatening tariffs against European countries that oppose his efforts to buy or seize Greenland. He repeated his claim that the US needs the Danish territory for national security and replied, “You’ll find out,” when asked how far he would go to acquire it.
European and Canadian responses
European leaders responded ahead of Trump’s arrival. French President Emmanuel Macron warned of “a shift toward autocracy against democracy … a shift towards a world without rules where international law is trampled underfoot, where the only law seems to be the strongest and imperial ambitions are resurfacing”.
Canada’s Mark Carney said the “old order is not coming back” and that the world is “in the midst of a rupture, not a transition” as great powers increase pressure.
Additional reactions and other speakers
California Governor Gavin Newsom said: “There’s no diplomacy with Donald Trump: he’s a T rex. You mate with him or he devours you.”
Trump ally Javier Milei of Argentina is also scheduled to speak on Thursday, along with Egypt’s Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa.
What do you expect to be the main focus of Trump’s Davos speech?