President: America is open for business

DAVOS, SWITZERLAND >> Playing the role of economic cheerleader, President Donald Trump told an annual gathering of political and business elites Friday that America is open for business and that economic growth in the U.S. under his “America first” agenda could benefit the globe.

Trump told the World Economic Forum in Davos that American prosperity has created countless jobs around the world. He made clear he would remain focused on the U.S. economy.

With a chamber of commerce-style pitch, the businessman-turned-president used the forum to sell the U.S. as a prime place to conduct business, noting the recent passage of a sweeping tax overhaul.

“America is the place to do business. So come to America, where you can innovate, create and build,” he said. “I believe in America.”

The president sought to strike a balance, tempering his nationalist agenda with reassurances to the globalist and cooperation-minded audience that his protectionist vision “does not mean America alone.”

“When the United States grows, so does the world,” Trump said. “American prosperity has created countless jobs around the globe and the drive for excellence, creativity and innovation in the United States has led to important discoveries that help people everywhere live more prosperous and healthier lives.”

Trump claimed he had inherited “years of stagnation” in the U.S. but recent economic figures show that U.S. companies and other employers added 2.1 million jobs in 2017, the lowest job growth in seven years.

The free-trade-focused gathering had viewed Trump with skepticism, given his “America First” message, but the White House has insisted that his protectionist policies and international cooperation can go hand-in-hand.