US President Trump presented his view of the world in his eagerly awaited speech at the WEF. Switzerland came in for some criticism.
Trump gave a highly-publicized speech at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos on Wednesday.
In his address, he emphasized the economic strength of the US and sharply criticized many European allies.
Looking for a fly in the ointment
The speech, which was delayed due to aircraft problems, but broadcast live by numerous media outlets, caused quite a stir.
Trump, who had traveled with a large US delegation, began his speech by praising the American economy, as economic growth is currently at an impressive 4.3 percent, as was reported by muula.ch.
However, Trump criticized that when the US presented its economic success, stock prices did not rise as they should have.
He said this was because the world was looking for a ‘fly in the ointment’ and focusing its attention mainly on inflation figures, for example. But he emphasized that the US was back.
New Fed chair soon
Trump also emphasized that the US would become the global center for artificial intelligence (AI) as well as for crypto.
He also had harsh words for the current chair of the US Federal Reserve Bank (Fed), Jerome Powell.
Powell reportedly acted disloyally since his appointment by pursuing an activist agenda.
However, Trump revealed in Davos that the US president will soon present a suitable successor, after which key interest rates should fall significantly.
Growth versus deficit
A key point in how he would reduce the US national deficit is growth, according to the WEF, which took place for the first time without its founder Klaus Schwab.
But US punitive tariffs have also brought money in to the US treasury, the US president explained.
He and his team, some of whom Trump publicly praised in Davos, are also working on the spending front. US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, and US Treasury Secretary, Scott Bessent, even had to stand up in front of the assembled global elite.
The US president even praised WEF organizer Larry Fink, head of the world’s largest asset manager Blackrock.
‘Everything Fink touches turns to gold’ Trump said.
USA no longer the paymaster
The US president accused Europe of not moving in the right direction.
He said parts of Europe were no longer recognizable and once again called on NATO allies to take on more responsibility instead of relying on the US.
The days when the US paid for everything in the world were finally over, he declared.
No attack on Greenland
A key topic was Trump’s ongoing interest in Greenland.
The president reiterated his demand to acquire the Danish autonomous region, calling it a piece of ice, cold, and poorly located.
He explicitly ruled out military force. Instead, he announced immediate negotiations and threatened tariffs on European imports if the EU and Denmark did not cooperate.
Keller-Sutter annoyed Trump
Switzerland also came in for criticism on the subject of punitive tariffs.
The phone call with the then Swiss president Karin Keller-Sutter was anything but pleasant. She kept saying that the US couldn’t demand such high import tariffs from a small country like Switzerland. Keller-Sutter clearly got on his nerves.
Don’t destroy Rolex
He could have raised tariffs for Switzerland to 70 percent instead of just 39 percent, taunted the US president. But that would have destroyed good business, such as the luxury watch company Rolex, which Trump did not want.
Now there is talk of a substantial reduction in US protective tariffs, even though the trade deficit remains large.
Lots of applause
Ultimately, everyone benefited from the US, but the US had suffered for years.
Those days are definitely over, Trump told the world from Davos, earning himself rapturous applause.
January 21, 2026/kut./ena.
