Donald Trump is crashing the globalist party in Davos — and Denmark wants no part of it.
The President will speak at the World Economic Forum on Wednesday, as tensions spike over his latest push to acquire Greenland and punish European allies with sweeping new tariffs. Danish officials confirmed they’re skipping the elite gathering entirely, just days after Trump warned of a 10% tariff — set to rise to 25% by June — unless several European nations agree to negotiate the sale of the Arctic island.
The standoff is already reshaping the annual summit. What was once a glitzy celebration of global cooperation has now become a high-stakes geopolitical poker game, with Trump flipping the table.
“This is the death of Davos,” said political economist Mark Blyth, who didn’t mince words. “It has no relevance, none whatsoever.” He described Trump’s approach as a full-blown power play: “He’s punching them in the head and telling them who’s in charge.”
Trump threatening tariffs on allies if they don’t go along with his plan to take over Greenland
6 other NATO countries are surging forces to Greenland in support of Denmark
Group of bipartisan Senators in Denmark, trying to cool tensions @GMA pic.twitter.com/hzKGmJqGOZ— Selina Wang (@selinawangtv) January 17, 2026
Eight countries — Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the UK, the Netherlands, and Finland — are on Trump’s tariff hit list. The move came after those nations deployed troops to Greenland in what they described as a routine exercise. But in Washington’s eyes, it’s a challenge to America’s growing Arctic ambitions.
The EU is now preparing a $107.7 billion retaliatory package targeting US goods, according to the Financial Times. European markets slid on Monday as anxiety spread, though Wall Street was closed for the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday.
Adding to the chaos, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky will also attend in person, reportedly hoping to ink new security guarantees from Trump. Meanwhile, Russia’s envoy Kirill Dmitriev is expected to meet with the US delegation behind closed doors. Greenland, which wasn’t even on the official agenda, is now a hot-button issue in backroom discussions.
Trump isn’t arriving alone. He’s bringing the largest US delegation ever to Davos — a high-powered team including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Jared Kushner, and peace envoy Steve Witkoff. Their schedule includes a VIP reception with global CEOs, including leaders in crypto, finance, and consulting.
Activists are already protesting in the snow-covered Swiss town. Figures wearing masks of Elon Musk, Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and Senator JD Vance rallied on Sunday, while inside the Congress Center, Trump’s newly unveiled “Board of Peace” for Gaza is already causing friction.
The board, reportedly requiring a $1 billion membership fee, includes controversial figures like former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair — who denies having anything to do with the price tag — and offers an eyebrow-raising mix of diplomacy and dollar signs. Invitations have also gone out to 60 nations, including Russia.
Notably absent from this year’s forum is founder Klaus Schwab. The 86-year-old globalism architect has stepped away after five decades of hosting what he envisioned as a business-focused forum, now turned political battlefield.
As Trump prepares to take the stage, one CEO summed it up: “This is no longer just a summit. It’s a showdown.”
