🌍 What World Leaders Said
From confrontation to diplomacy—how global leaders responded to Trump at Davos
Donald Trump
"We probably won't get anything unless I decide to use excessive strength and force where we would be, frankly, unstoppable. But I won't do that."
- Demanded Greenland "right, title and ownership" but pledged no force
- Threatened allies: "You can say yes, or you can say no and we will remember"
- Proposed $200B mortgage bond program and 10% credit card interest rate cap
- Claimed 5.4% GDP growth, $9T market gains
- Cut payments to "sanctuary cities"
- Called Europe "not recognizable anymore," mocked Macron
Emmanuel Macron
"We do prefer respect to bullies… and we do prefer rule of law to brutality."
- Denounced tariffs as "fundamentally unacceptable"
- Called out tariffs as leverage against sovereignty
- Criticized Trump's Canada "51st state" talk
- Framed choice as "democracy vs authoritarianism"
- Warned against "endless accumulation" of tariffs
Mark Carney
"We are in the midst of a rupture, not a transition. The old world order is not coming back."
- "Most consequential speech" from a Canadian PM (per diplomat)
- "If we're not at the table, we're on the menu"
- Called tariffs "economic weapons"
- Urged middle powers to unite
Volodymyr Zelenskyy
Announced trilateral US-Ukraine-Russia talks would begin in Abu Dhabi on January 23.
- Met with Trump to finalize security guarantees
- Peace talks framework established
- Pushed for strong post-war protections
- Special Address drew major attention
Ursula von der Leyen
Hinted at the "mother of all deals" between EU and India.
- Called proposed US tariffs a "mistake"
- Announced EU-Mercosur trade deal
- Positioned EU for alternative partnerships
- Emphasized economic diversification
Lagarde, Georgieva, Okonjo-Iweala
"Resiliency is built into the system, and that is showing up." — WTO head
- Called Trump's policy "biggest disruption in 80 years"
- But noted 72% of trade still under WTO rules
- Urged countries to "filter out the turmoil"
- Conceded: "We won't go back to where we were"
⚖️ Trump vs Allies: Position Comparison
Side-by-side comparison of key positions on major issues
| Topic | Trump Position | Allied Response |
|---|---|---|
| 🇬🇱 Greenland | Demands "right, title and ownership." Won't use force "this time" but allies will "remember." | NATO framework deal reached. Denmark maintains sovereignty but enhanced Arctic security cooperation. |
| 💰 Tariffs | Threatened EU tariffs if Greenland opposed. Called tariffs a "legitimate geopolitical instrument." | Macron: "Fundamentally unacceptable." EU warned retaliation would be "unwise" but prepared alternatives. |
| 🇺🇦 Ukraine | Met Zelenskyy, agreed to trilateral talks in Abu Dhabi starting Jan 23. | Zelenskyy pushed for strong security guarantees. Framework for negotiations established. |
| 🌐 World Order | "America First" reasserted. European values called "inferior." | Carney: "Rupture, not transition." Middle powers urged to unite. Economic fragmentation accelerating. |
| 📈 Economy | Claims 5.4% growth, 1.6% inflation, $9T market gains. "Opposite of stagflation." | IMF/WTO: Global economy showing "unexpected resilience" but "won't go back to where we were." |
| 🏠 Financial | Proposed $200B mortgage bond program and 10% credit card interest rate cap. Pitched as populist economic agenda. | Markets cautiously optimistic. Banks raised concerns about rate cap feasibility. |
| 🌬️ Energy | Called wind turbines "loser windmills." Paris withdrawal reaffirmed. | EU maintains climate commitments. New green investment initiatives announced. |
📅 Davos 2026 Timeline
Day-by-day breakdown of the key events
📊 Trade Impact Indicators
Key metrics on global trade disruption and resilience
🎯 Outcomes & Analysis
What actually happened—and what it means going forward
Greenland: Framework Deal Explained
▼
What happened: After initially demanding "right, title and ownership" and warning allies to "remember" their choice, Trump announced a "framework deal" with NATO Secretary General Rutte on Thursday.
What it means: Denmark maintains sovereignty, but the US secures enhanced Arctic security cooperation. Trump can claim a win without the constitutional and international law problems of actual acquisition.
What to watch: Implementation details, US military presence expansion, and whether this satisfies Trump's stated goals or becomes a stepping stone to further demands.
Tariff Threats: What Changed
▼
Before Davos: Trump threatened new tariffs on European nations if they opposed Greenland demands.
Macron's response: Called tariff leverage against territorial sovereignty "fundamentally unacceptable." Warned this is a choice between "rule of law and brutality."
Outcome: Trump announced no new EU tariffs "for now." Markets stabilized. EU positioned alternative trade deals (Mercosur, potentially India).
US Trade Rep position: Jamieson Greer defended tariffs as a "lesser measure" and warned Europe that retaliation would be "unwise."
Ukraine Peace Talks: What's Next
▼
The announcement: Zelenskyy confirmed trilateral US-Ukraine-Russia talks will begin in Abu Dhabi on January 23.
Security guarantees: Zelenskyy met with Trump to finalize terms. The exact nature of post-war protections remains a key negotiation point.
What to watch: Whether talks produce real progress or serve as theater. Russia's actual willingness to negotiate in good faith. European role in any settlement.
The "Rupture" Thesis: World Order Implications
▼
Carney's warning: "We are in the midst of a rupture, not a transition. The old world order is not coming back."
What this means:
- Economic integration is now weaponized
- Tariffs used as geopolitical leverage
- Financial infrastructure as coercion
- Supply chains as vulnerabilities
Middle power strategy: "If we're not at the table, we're on the menu." Canada, EU, and others positioning for a multipolar world.
WTO view: "Biggest disruption in 80 years" but system resilience is "showing up." Still, "we won't go back to where we were."
AI & Tech: Musk's Predictions
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Musk at Davos: AI will become "smarter than any individual human" by end of 2026, and likely exceed "all of humanity combined" within five years.
Tesla announcement: Humanoid robots will be sold to the public starting 2027.
Broader context: Tech titans including Jensen Huang (Nvidia), Satya Nadella (Microsoft), Demis Hassabis (Google DeepMind), and Arthur Mensch (Mistral AI) attended.