US President Donald Trump gestures as he delivers a particular handle throughout the World Financial Discussion board (WEF) annual assembly in Davos on January 21, 2026. The World Financial Discussion board takes place in Davos from January 19 to January 23, 2026.
Mandel Ngan | Afp | Getty Pictures
U.S. President Donald Trump backed away from tariffs on European nations and dominated out utilizing pressure to take Greenland throughout his time on the World Financial Discussion board in Davos, Switzerland.
However his free-wheeling particular handle to the discussion board, which lasted for greater than an hour, included the form of assaults which have change into a trademark of his presidency.
Trump touched on U.S. financial development, his ongoing efforts to amass Greenland from Denmark and wind vitality in each Europe and China.
The U.S. president additionally made his emotions recognized about some Western political leaders and, in a subsequent speech, renewed his criticism of 1 NATO member specifically. This is a rundown of those that got here below hearth this week.
France
French President Emmanuel Macron spoke at Davos on Tuesday sporting darkish, reflective sun shades, prompting Trump to ask in his speech: “What the hell occurred?”
“I watched him yesterday together with his lovely sun shades,” Trump stated on Wednesday, giving rise to some laughter within the auditorium.
France’s President Emmanuel Macron seems on throughout the World Financial Discussion board (WEF) annual assembly in Davos on January 20, 2026. The World Financial Discussion board takes place in Davos from January 19 to January 23, 2026.
Fabrice Coffrini | Afp | Getty Pictures
Macron’s workplace later stated the president selected to put on aviator sun shades to guard his eyes resulting from a burst blood vessel, Reuters reported.
Macron, who did not point out Trump by title, used his speech to warn of a shift to “a world with out guidelines” and decried “bullies”.
In his personal speech, Trump claimed he had cajoled Macron into agreeing to boost drug costs in France, saying: “You have been screwing us for 30 years.”
The French presidency responded that this was “pretend information” in a social media publish, alongside a GIF of Trump mouthing the identical phrase in entrance of a microphone.
“It is being claimed that President @EmmanuelMacron elevated the worth of medicines,” the French presidency stated on Wednesday.
“He doesn’t set their costs. They’re regulated by the social safety system and have, the truth is, remained steady. Anybody who has set foot in a French pharmacy is aware of this,” they added.
Canada
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney gave one of the crucial caustic speeches of Davos, calling out “nice powers” for weaponizing their financial would possibly, and urging “center powers” to behave collectively, “as a result of if we’re not on the desk, we’re on the menu.”
“Canada will get a number of freebies from us by the way in which,” Trump stated in his speech the next day. “They need to be grateful additionally however they don’t seem to be. I watched your prime minister yesterday. He wasn’t so grateful.”
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney speaks throughout the 56th annual World Financial Discussion board assembly in Davos, Switzerland, Jan. 20, 2026.
Denis Balibouse | Reuters
Trump added: “Canada lives due to the USA. Keep in mind that, Mark, the following time you make your statements.”
After leaving Davos, Trump introduced he had withdrawn his invitation for Carney to hitch his “Board of Peace” for Gaza.
Carney stated final week that he meant to hitch the board however particulars, together with monetary phrases, had but to be labored out. Everlasting members should pay $1 billion every.
Spain
Talking on the signing ceremony for his “Board of Peace” on Thursday, Trump renewed his criticism of Spain over protection spending.
The NATO army alliance agreed in June final 12 months to greater than double their protection spending from 2% of GDPt to five% by 2035. However Spain efficiently pushed for an exemption, permitting its expenditure to stay round 2%.
“I do not know what’s taking place with Spain, why would they not try this? They need a free experience I suppose, huh?” Trump stated. “Each nation however Spain elevated to five%. I do not know why. We will have to speak to Spain.”
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez speaks throughout a plenary session on the Spanish Parliament on July 09, 2025 in Madrid, Spain.
Pablo Blazquez Dominguez | Getty Pictures Information | Getty Pictures
Trump has beforehand threatened to make Spain pay for its refusal to fulfill the protection spending goal and not too long ago stated Madrid has “no excuse” for paying much less throughout a gathering with Finnish President Alexander Stubb.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez stated in June final 12 months that he considers the nation’s present protection spending of two% of GDP as “enough, lifelike and suitable with the welfare state.”
Switzerland
Switzerland’s former president, Karin Keller-Sutter, additionally confronted criticism from Trump this week.
Referring to her because the Swiss “prime minister,” Trump stated on Wednesday that he had acquired a name from Keller-Sutter after threatening to boost tariffs on Swiss items to 30%.
“She stated, ‘no, no, no, you can not try this, 30%. You can not try this. We’re a small, small nation.’ I stated, ‘yeah, however you have got an enormous, huge deficit,'” Trump stated. “She simply rubbed me the flawed means, I will be sincere with you.”
(R to L) US Ambassador to Switzerland, Callista Gingrich, US President Donald Trump, Switzerland’s Federal President Man Parmelin and Switzerland’s Financial system Minister Federal councillor Karin Keller-Sutter react prior a bilateral assembly on the sidelines of the World Financial Discussion board (WEF) annual assembly in Davos on January 21, 2026.
Laurent Gillieron | Afp | Getty Pictures
Trump stated he raised Swiss tariffs to 39% after that decision, reflecting one of many highest tariff charges imposed on one nation by his administration.
The U.S. president agreed late final 12 months to decrease tariffs on Swiss merchandise to fifteen%. Keller-Sutter’s time period resulted in December.
‘Loser’ windmills
It wasn’t simply political leaders that drew Trump’s ire. The U.S. president, a vocal critic of wind vitality, took purpose at windmills.
“There are windmills throughout Europe,” Trump stated throughout his Davos handle. “There are windmills all over and they’re losers. One factor I’ve seen is that the extra windmills a rustic has, the extra money that nation loses and the more severe that nation is doing.”
Trump added: “China makes virtually the entire windmills, and but I have not been capable of finding any wind farms in China. Did you ever consider that? It is a great way of it. They’re good. China’s very good. They make them, they promote them for a fortune, they promote them to the silly those who purchase them, however they do not use them themselves.”
China, a worldwide wind superpower, defended its renewables technique in response, reaffirming its dedication to selling low-carbon vitality.
Trump’s feedback have been additionally shrugged off by EU Local weather Commissioner Wopke Hoekstra and Vestas CEO Henrik Andersen.
“We take certainly a basically completely different view right here. We do really feel that local weather change has enormous financial ramifications,” Hoekstra informed CNBC on Wednesday.
In a separate interview, the chief government of Denmark’s Vestas additionally disputed Trump’s declare that wind vitality would not work. “We proceed precisely on the trail that we now have been,” Andersen informed CNBC on Thursday.
