President Donald Trump is poised to dominate the World Economic Forum in Davos as he presses U.S. claims over Greenland and advances a sweeping slate of geopolitical initiatives that have unsettled European allies.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
President Donald Trump is expected to command the agenda at this week’s World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, as European leaders brace for continued pressure over Greenland and a broader reordering of U.S. foreign and trade policy. Trump is scheduled to address the annual gathering of political and business leaders on Wednesday, but his presence has already overshadowed the forum through a series of statements and social media posts signaling that Greenland, tariffs, and global security arrangements will be central to his message.
According to AFP, Trump is expected to dominate the week-long meeting, placing transatlantic relations under strain as he pushes for U.S. control of Greenland, the autonomous Danish territory. European governments are weighing countermeasures after Trump threatened additional tariffs on eight European countries tied to the Greenland dispute, while Washington has warned that any retaliatory levies would be “unwise.”
AFP reported that although Trump will not arrive in Davos until Wednesday, he has already set the tone through posts on his Truth Social platform, including remarks about a “very good” phone call with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte regarding Greenland. In one post, Trump said, “I agreed to a meeting of the various parties in Davos, Switzerland,” a comment AFP noted late Monday.
Trump told reporters he did not believe European leaders would “push back too much” against his efforts to purchase Greenland, adding, “They can’t protect it.” The issue has become a focal point of the Davos agenda as tensions escalate over the strategic Arctic territory, which Trump has argued the United States must control to ensure regional security.
Future U.S. policy toward Venezuela, Gaza, Ukraine, and Iran is also expected to feature prominently in Trump’s Davos remarks. He has additionally proposed the creation of an international “Board of Peace,” a new body initially tasked with overseeing Gaza’s reconstruction. Trump has said the board would seek $1 billion in individual national contributions in exchange for a seat, with the stated aim of resolving major international conflicts.
These initiatives are being advanced by an unusually large U.S. delegation to Davos, signaling Washington’s intent to assert itself at the gathering. Trump addressed the forum last year via remote appearance, which nonetheless unsettled attendees even before he spoke, according to diplomats familiar with the meeting.
European Union leaders are set to hold an emergency summit in Brussels on Thursday to discuss their response to the Greenland dispute, which officials have described as one of the most serious strains on transatlantic relations in years.
Trump further escalated rhetoric in a series of Truth Social posts asserting that the United States is the only country capable of ensuring peace in Greenland, prompting terse exchanges between U.S. and European officials. The posts followed days of rising tensions and tariff threats aimed at pressuring Europe to abandon opposition to a U.S. takeover. The issue has taken center stage at this week’s Davos meeting as Trump reiterated his position in additional Truth Social statements.
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Ahead of his arrival, Trump said he agreed to a Davos meeting on Greenland after his call with Rutte, reinforcing that the matter would be discussed at the highest levels during the forum.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen responded forcefully on Tuesday, warning that Trump’s approach risked plunging U.S.–EU relations into a “downward spiral.” Speaking at the World Economic Forum, von der Leyen said the proposed tariffs were a mistake between long-standing allies. “Plunging us into a downward spiral would only aid the very adversaries we are both so committed to keeping out of the strategic landscape. So our response will be unflinching, united and proportional,” she said.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen told Denmark’s parliament that Europe “must respond” to any trade war, saying, “We are compelled to do so.”
Trump has continued to press his case on Truth Social, including posting a fabricated image of himself planting a U.S. flag on an icy Greenland landscape labeled “GREENLAND — US TERRITORY EST. 2026.” He later wrote that he had another “very good” call with Rutte and reiterated plans for a Davos meeting on the issue.
Trump has said his objective is to protect Greenland from perceived Russian and Chinese threats, though analysts have noted China’s limited role in the region. European leaders are scheduled to meet again in Brussels later this week to coordinate their response.
Relations between Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron are also expected to feature in Davos discussions. Trump has threatened 200 percent tariffs on French wine and champagne after France declined an invitation to join his proposed Board of Peace. Analysts have compared the initiative to a pay-to-play version of the United Nations Security Council, noting Trump’s claim that a permanent seat would cost $1 billion. Trump confirmed that Russian President Vladimir Putin was among world leaders invited to participate.
Trump said Macron would “be out of office very soon” and told reporters “nobody wants him.” Macron, meanwhile, has proposed a G7 summit in Paris to address Greenland and efforts to end Russia’s war in Ukraine, with Copenhagen, Moscow, and Kyiv attending on the sidelines.
The Kremlin said Russian envoy Kirill Dmitriev plans to meet members of the U.S. delegation in Davos, marking the first Russian presence at the forum since Moscow was excluded following its 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng also addressed the forum, warning that the world should not return to “the law of the jungle where the strong prey on the weak,” comments widely interpreted as criticism of unilateral trade and security actions.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney is scheduled to speak later this week. Carney has sought to reduce Canada’s reliance on the United States amid tariff disputes with Trump and recently traveled to Beijing, where he secured a preliminary trade agreement aimed at lowering tariffs.
Other global flashpoints, including Venezuela, Gaza, Iran, and Ukraine, remain on the Davos agenda. While Europe has increased defense spending to reduce reliance on U.S. security guarantees, officials acknowledge that Washington’s support remains critical to ending the war in Ukraine and deterring Russia.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky warned Tuesday that the dispute over Greenland could distract from the ongoing war. “I’m worried about any loss of focus during a full-scale war,” Zelensky said, cautioning that the crises should not be viewed as interchangeable.
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, a regular attendee at Davos, canceled his participation this year after falling ill, his office said.
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