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President Donald Trump is in Davos on Wednesday, projecting confidence in his ability to shape global affairs as he intends to exert influence well beyond
America's borders. The US President is travelling to Switzerland for the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum after threatening to impose tariffs on Denmark and seven other NATO allies. The warning was linked to their deployment of troops to Greenland, unless an agreement is reached by February 1 to transfer the island to US control.
What to Look Out for at Davos
While in Davos, Trump plans to announce an expansion of his proposed "Board of Peace" for Gaza. Some allies view the move as an attempt to create a rival to the UN Security Council, with the US President holding sole veto power.
"The Board of Peace is not going to be limited to Gaza. It's a Board of Peace around the world," a senior US official told Axios.
The official added that Trump's priority remained the Western Hemisphere, but said: "I wouldn't say he's fixated on global domination. He's America First. And America is still the world's leader."
Advisers say Trump has been encouraged by what they describe as the swift capture of Venezuela's Nicolás Maduro. One senior adviser said the episode had "freed up the President even more to project power around the world".
What Trump Said Ahead of Davos Visit
In the hours before departing, Trump posted images and memes online suggesting US claims over Greenland and Canada, as well as what he said were private messages from French President Emmanuel Macron and Nato Secretary General Mark Rutte. He also repeated his argument that the US must control Greenland.
"The message [in Davos] is how incredible our country is doing," Trump told reporters. Until recently, US allies expected Trump's Davos agenda to focus on Gaza and on signing a reconstruction agreement for Ukraine.
Instead, European governments are now scrambling to manage a dispute over Greenland that threatens Nato unity. One Ukrainian official told Axios that European officials "had to shred their Ukraine talking points and write new ones on Greenland".
Trump also texted Norway's Prime Minister to say that, because he did not receive the Nobel Peace Prize, he would no longer focus primarily on peace. The US later circulated the message on official letterhead to Nato ambassadors, according to PBS. Norwegian officials said they had expected the exchange to remain private.
How Europe Responded
European leaders are signalling that they are prepared to respond. EU countries are considering a large package of retaliatory tariffs, while Denmark is sending additional troops to Greenland.
Some Davos attendees privately questioned whether Europe could match Trump's confrontational approach. "I'm taking the under on European fortitude," one American veteran of the forum was quoted as saying.
The Greenland dispute has also overshadowed efforts to use Davos to advance talks on security guarantees and reconstruction for Ukraine. A Ukrainian official said plans to sign a "prosperity plan" were dropped, though a US official said no date had been set.
Trump is still expected to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and several European leaders, but US officials caution against expecting major breakthroughs.
US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are due to meet Russian representative Kirill Dmitriev in Davos to discuss Ukraine. Dmitriev and other Kremlin figures have praised Trump's stance on Greenland, and Moscow has said the US President invited Vladimir Putin to join the proposed Board of Peace.
Launch of the 'Board of Peace'
Trump plans to chair an event on Thursday to formally launch the board, which is officially tasked with overseeing Gaza's reconstruction. Draft documents, however, give the US President veto power over all decisions.
"This is not what we signed up for in Sharm el-Sheikh," a senior European official said, referring to the post-ceasefire summit in Egypt.
France has said it will not join the board at this stage, and several European countries have voiced scepticism. Others — including Morocco, Qatar and Indonesia — have agreed to participate. In total, 58 leaders were invited, according to a senior US official.
Fresh Tensions
Trump said on Monday that "nobody wants" President Macron, predicting he would soon leave office. He suggested France would fall into line if the US imposed a 200% tariff on French wine and champagne.
He later posted messages he said were from Macron, in which the French leader wrote: "We are totally in line on Syria. We can do great things on Iran. I don't understand what you are doing on Greenland." Macron also proposed a G7 summit in Paris following Davos.
Trump said he had agreed with Rutte to hold talks on Greenland during Davos, sharing what he described as a supportive message from the Nato chief praising his leadership.
