&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "Davos 2026: US President Donald Trump lands in Switzerland amid diplomatic tensions with European allies")
US President Donald Trump has landed in Switzerland on Wednesday (January 21) for the World Economic Forum 2026, being held in Davos. Along with Trump, Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt were also seen. Earlier, Donald Trump's Air Force One was forced to turn back shortly after takeoff due to what officials described as a minor electrical malfunction. Upon landing, the US president took aim at European leaders ahead of his planned appearance at the World Economic Forum in Davos.
However, officials attending the Swiss gathering responded with an unusually unified front. Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney warned that the US-led global order is facing a fundamental breakdown, while French President Emmanuel Macron pledged resistance against what he described as political intimidation. That show of unity prompted criticism from US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who urged European leaders to calm down and wait to hear Trump’s message directly. Speaking to reporters in Davos, Bessent warned against what he called automatic hostility toward the US president.
Trump had been scheduled to address the forum at 2:30 pm local time, but following his delayed arrival, the timing of his speech remained uncertain. Earlier, Trump said he planned to hold several discussions in Davos focused on Greenland, an issue that has created the most serious strain between Washington and its European allies in decades. When asked how far he might go to obtain the Arctic territory from Denmark, Trump responded cryptically: “You’ll find out.” Demonstrating opposition to Trump’s stance, protesters carved the phrase “No Kings” into the snow above Davos overnight, echoing a popular slogan from US demonstrations.
Trump has repeatedly argued that Greenland’s vast mineral resources and strategic position are critical to US and NATO security, particularly as Arctic ice melts and competition with Russia and China intensifies. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte acknowledged growing strains within the alliance but called for careful diplomacy. Rutte, often described as adept at managing relations with Trump, said tensions were undeniable but manageable.
He also rejected Trump’s long-standing claims that NATO allies would fail to support the United States in a crisis. “I tell him, yes they would,” Rutte said. France added to the pushback by proposing a NATO military exercise in Greenland and offering to participate, according to Macron’s office. The French president had earlier criticized Washington’s attempts to pressure Europe and condemned Trump’s threats to impose tariffs on allies over their support for Denmark. European leaders have warned of retaliatory trade measures after Trump threatened tariffs of up to 25 percent on eight European countries backing Copenhagen.
Trump dismissed the idea that Europe could effectively retaliate, saying any trade action against the US would rebound against its initiators. In an interview with News Nation, he expressed hope that a compromise could still be reached.
Meanwhile, Carney received a rare standing ovation in Davos after warning that the world is experiencing a true rupture rather than a gradual shift in global governance. The Canadian leader has sought to reduce his country’s reliance on the US after Trump suggested Canada should become the 51st American state.
The White House said Trump’s Davos address would focus primarily on domestic economic issues, particularly rising living costs that threaten Republican prospects in the 2026 midterm elections. Nonetheless, Trump’s assertive foreign policy approach, now one year into his second term, has placed Greenland squarely at the center of global attention. Greenland’s prime minister warned this week that the island’s small population of 57,000 must be prepared for the possibility of military pressure.
On Thursday, Trump is also expected to officially unveil the first charter of his proposed “Board of Peace,” an international conflict-resolution body that would require a $1 billion fee for permanent membership.
