Trump’s freewheeling Davos speech stirs unease among global audience

Harsh rhetoric from the US leader at forum combined threats towards allies with praise for traditional adversaries during a 70-minute talk

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US President Donald Trump walks with the president and CEO of the World Economic Forum, Borge Brende, during World Economic Forum, in Davos, Switzerland, on Wednesday. Photo: Reuters

Mark Magnierin Washington,Khushboo Razdanin WashingtonandXinmei Shenin Washington

Published: 4:44am, 22 Jan 2026Updated: 6:11am, 22 Jan 2026

There was moderate relief after US President Donald Trump walked back his threat to take Greenland by force on Wednesday at the World Economic Forum in Switzerland, but also concern among critics and lawmakers that his speech was little more than a diversion at a time of significant global peril.

Attendees watching in the Davos Congress Centre and millions tuned in around the world received a full dose of unfettered Trump as, during his 70-minute speech, he slammed Nato member Denmark for not handing over Greenland and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky; justified his Venezuela strike; held forth on global energy markets and praised the “eight other wars” he has settled.

But in characteristic fashion, Trump did not stick to global topics in addressing the pre-eminent global audience. Mixed in with his rambling comments was a healthy dose of domestic grievances and self-congratulation on topics ranging from the intelligence of “bandits” in Minnesota and how safe he has made Washington to US grocery prices and his fight against undeserved welfare recipients.

Much of the speech was a distraction, or worse, from the world’s many pressing issues, analysts said, citing its contrast with the serious, nuanced messages delivered by Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and other world leaders at Davos.

“It was the most headline-making speech ... but what Trump had to say didn’t matter all that much,” said Ian Bremmer, president of the Eurasia Group consultancy.

“The point here is not Trump’s speech. The speech that mattered was Mark Carney’s speech, the Canadian Prime Minister, yesterday,” he added in a video from Davos.

Trump’s freewheeling Davos speech stirs unease among global audience

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Harsh rhetoric from the US leader at forum combined threats towards allies with praise for traditional adversaries during a 70-minute talk

Harsh rhetoric from the US leader at forum combined threats towards allies with praise for traditional adversaries during a 70-minute talk