Main Points
- Donald Trump is set to make an appearance at Davos amid escalating tensions with European leaders over his desire for control over Greenland
- The US president told reporters yesterday: “We have to have it [Greenland]”
- France’s Emmanuel Macron says Europe prefers “respect to bullies” amid US tariff threats over EU opposition to Greenland plan
- Canadian PM Mark Carney told Davos ahead of Trump’s address that the US-led rules-based order is “fading”
- Taoiseach Micheál Martin is also set to arrive in Davos later today
Key Reads
- Keith Duggan: Trump hurtles to Davos with Greenland on his mind and no stop in sight
- Michael McDowell: The worse Trump behaves, the more room there is for optimism
- John McManus: The EU should channel Michael O’Leary when dealing with Donald Trump
Órla Ryan – 4 minutes ago
The Taoiseach will also arrive in Davos later today.
Micheál Martin said he was “looking forward to attending” the forum.
“It is an opportunity to meet with international leaders and business leaders to discuss how we can work together to best address geopolitical and economic challenges,”
The Taoiseach is due to address business leaders at an IDA event.
He will also have a number of meetings with senior business and political leaders on the margins of the forum.
Órla Ryan – 24 minutes ago
Trump is “likely to be three hours late” to Davos, according to US secretary of the treasury Scott Bessent, following the problem with Air Force One.
Trump was due to give his special address at the World Economic Forum at 1.30pm Irish time – that time hasn’t changed yet on the official programme.
– The Guardian
Órla Ryan – 27 minutes ago
Europe must wake up in the face of threats of fresh tariffs by Trump if Europe does not let him take over Greenland, European Central Bank policymaker Francois Villeroy de Galhau said on Wednesday.
“Europe must stand firm and defend itself, and Europe can also wake up and play its own cards,” Villeroy told France 2 television.
Villeroy said fresh tariffs by the US would weaken economic growth for all parties involved but that their impact on European inflation should be rather muted.
– Reuters
Órla Ryan – 40 minutes ago
British energy secretary Ed Miliband said prime minister Keir Starmer had shown “calm leadership” in his handling of Trump, as he called for “de-escalation” over Greenland.
Miliband told Sky News Starmer was not travelling to the World Economic Forum in Davos as there were “all kinds of other things that he’s doing”.
British energy secretary Ed Miliband leaves following the weekly Government cabinet meeting at Downing Street on Tuesday. Photograph by Leon Neal/Getty Images
He said: “The bigger picture here is that the prime minister is, I think, navigating a really difficult international situation with great skill and in our national interest…
“I know some people will want to say, why hasn’t the prime minister been matching Donald Trump tweet-for-tweet, all of that. I honestly say to you, we would be in a much worse position as a country.
“He has shown calm leadership, which got us the first trade deal with the US, which got us the lowest tariff.
“Now this is a very challenging situation, and we’ve got a principle, which is we seek common ground with Donald Trump, but where we disagree, we say so, and that’s what he said on Greenland.
“But no, I think Keir Starmer’s leadership is absolutely right on this and I think at this stage, it’s about de-escalation and finding a way through this tricky situation.”
British defence secretary John Healey is in Davos for the forum.
– Press Association
Órla Ryan – 46 minutes ago
Trump’s arrival in Davos is set to be delayed due to an issue with Air Force One.
The plane was forced to abort its flight to Switzerland early this morning and turn back after what officials described as a “minor electrical issue”.
Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, said the decision to return to Washington DC had been taken shortly after departure “out of an abundance of caution”, once the crew detected the fault.
A White House pool reporter travelling with the US president said the lights in the press cabin of Air Force One flickered off briefly after the aircraft became airborne, though no further explanation was provided at the time.
On landing, Trump transferred to a second plane and continued his trip to the World Economic Forum.
According to the White House press pool, the crew on the plane quickly moved boxes of fruit, wrapped sandwiches and beverages to the new plane. Other staffers were seen pulling about a dozen suitcases off the plane and placing them onto a truck.
The plane departed just after midnight local time (5am Irish time), more than two hours after the initial flight took off.
– The Guardian
Trump is due to speak in Davos on Wednesday afternoon, as his bid to seize Greenland threatens to tear the transatlantic Nato alliance apart.
Asked on Tuesday how far he was prepared to go to acquire Greenland from Denmark, a fellow Nato member, Trump replied: “You’ll find out.”
Leaders in the Swiss ski resort have closed ranks against Trump’s aggressive America First stance, with French president Emmanuel Macron vowing to stand up against “bullies” and the EU promising an “unflinching” response.
Canadian prime minister Mark Carney has said the US-led global system of governance is enduring “a rupture,” defined by great power competition and a “fading” rules-based order.
Speaking at the World Economic Forum on Tuesday, Carney said: “We are in the midst of a rupture, not a transition.”
In an apparent warning against efforts to appease major powers, he said countries like Canada can no longer hope that “compliance will buy safety”.
“It won’t,” he said.
Good morning.
We will be keeping you up to date with all the latest developments ahead of US president Donald Trump’s speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.
US president Donald Trump speaking to reporters during a briefing at the White House in Washington DC on Tuesday. Photograph by Eric Lee/The New York Times
Trump yesterday doubled down on his threats to take control of Greenland.
His arrival in Davos today is expected to be delayed due to a “minor electrical issue” on Air Force One.