INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS Trump at Davos: America First Amid Swiss Protests
United States President Donald Trump said on Friday that America would come “first” but would not be “alone” during a speech at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland.
By welcoming foreign investors to continue pouring money into the US, which is “open for business” under the businessman-turnedpresident, Mr Trump appeared to soften the populist-isolationist rhetoric for which he is known. While his remarks may have calmed investors, sections of the Swiss public were still upset. The remarks came amid continuing protests against Mr Trump and world capitalism at several sites in Switzerland. Wednesday saw roughly 20 demonstrators break through security at the Davos Congress Centre where they held signs reading ‘Wipe out WEF’.
In Zurich, demonstrators held signs saying “No Trump, no coal, no gas, no fossil fuels” as they marched through the city’s financial district.
In Geneva, protesters placed a memorial wreathe for Heather Heyer, a counter-protester killed by a white nationalist at a US far-right rally in August, at the entrance of the US diplomatic mission. Friday remained relatively quiet. Mr Trump extolled the strength of the US economy under his presidency. “I’ve always been very successful at making money,” the president claimed, going on to say the stock market was up 50 per cent.
If his 2016 presidential opponent Hillary Clinton had won, Wall Street would be “down close to 50 per cent”, Mr Trump said. Removing regulations has been a boon to the US economy, the president continued. Professor Juan Cole, a visiting professor at Qatar University, told Al Jazeera that a strong stock market doesn’t necessarily help the US.