Davos tests for Trump

US President Donald Trump strode into the lion’s den to confront the world’s political and business elite yesterday, as his “America First” administration executed an anti-globalist manifesto in trade, taxes and currency rates.

A year after taking office, Mr Trump joined the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, with foreign exchange markets in turmoil and US trading partners in uproar.

He insisted he wanted to see “a strong dollar”, after comments by his treasury secretary appearing to signal the opposite sent the US currency plunging to three-year lows.

Mr Trump smiled and waved in the Alps as onlookers held up camera phones.

Mr Trump sought to repair one diplomatic rift while widening another as he smoothed over friction with Britain over sharing an anti- Muslim tweet, but threatened to cut financial aid to the Palestinians after they withdrew from peace discussions.

“We’ve had a great discussion, we’re on the same wavelength in every respect,” Mr Trump said of his meeting with British PM Theresa May.

Swiss activist group Campax hung a giant banner on an Alpine peak near Davos reading “Trump not welcome” as billionaire financier George Soros was equally blunt about Mr Trump while hosting a Davos dinner.

“I consider the Trump administration a danger to the world,” he said.

Mr Trump is due to address the forum at the end of a week that saw his administration announce a new package of trade tariffs targeting China and South Korea, and spark upheaval on currency markets.