Trump Greenland News LIVE: US President Arrives in Davos Amid Greenland Standoff, to Pitch ‘Board of Peace’
Trump’s plane, Air Force One, returned to Joint Base Andrews in Washington DC around an hour after leaving for Switzerland on Tuesday because of a “minor technical issue”.
Trump boarded another aircraft, an Air Force C-32, and continued on with his trip to Davos. The annual forum is taking place amid major disruptions across the world. Trump’s visit comes as relations between the US and its European partners remain tense over his threat to take control of Greenland, as well as the tariff threats that followed.
At the Davos summit, he is also expected to host a session on the “Board of Peace”, a new body intended to oversee the end of the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza.
What is WEF?
The World Economic Forum (WEF) is a think tank and event organiser based in the Swiss city of Geneva. Over time, the gathering has developed into a forum that covers topics ranging from economic inequality and climate change to technology, global cooperation, competition, and conflict.
The summit takes place at a conference centre in Davos, an Alpine town in Switzerland known for its ski resort and a population of about 10,000. It has hosted the WEF summit every January since 1971.
Who will attend the Davos summit?
Organisers say a record number of almost 400 senior political figures are attending. This includes more than 60 heads of state and government, along with close to 850 chairpersons and chief executives from many of the world’s leading companies.
At the top of the programme is Trump, who is due to speak on Wednesday. Several cabinet members and senior advisers are also taking part, including secretary of state Marco Rubio, treasury secretary Scott Bessent, and special envoy Steve Witkoff.
Those attending include French President Emmanuel Macron, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi, China’s Vice Premier He Lifeng, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Organisers also say the event will see 55 economy and finance ministers, 33 foreign affairs ministers, 34 trade, commerce, and industry ministers, along with 11 central bank governors.
Trump is also seeking to hold a meeting of his ‘Board of Peace’ on Gaza during the annual event, according to a report by Bloomberg News.
Trump vs European leaders over Greenland
A day before travelling to the World Economic Forum, Trump mocked European leaders, as he prepared to take centre stage over the future of the autonomous Danish territory.
However, leaders at the Swiss ski resort have united in response to Trump’s ‘America First’ stance. French President Emmanuel Macron pledged to stand up to “bullies”, while the European Union said it would deliver an “unflinching” reply.
Trump argues that Greenland, which is mineral-rich, is important for US and NATO security against Russia and China.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen warned that Trump could push relations between the US and the European Union into a “downward spiral”.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, who has tried to limit his country’s reliance on Washington after Trump suggested it should become the 51st US state, received a standing ovation at Davos for his position.
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