Trump to turn salesman-in-chief as Davos closes
President Donald Trump took a turn as America’s salesman-in-chief yesterday, trying to convince a sceptical band of the global great and good in Davos that he is good for business.
The 71-year-old firebrand is expected to pitch America as economically resurgent and the place to do business, during his keynote address at the close of the week-long World Economic Forum in the Swiss Alps.
“If you’re not a cheerleader for your company or your country it’s not going to work,” Trump said, honing his message in a meeting with European chief executives late Thursday.
But after a tumultuous first year in office, Trump’s pitch will be as much about himself as about America.
In Davos he faces an audience of politicians, bankers and titans of industry who view him and his more nationalistic policies with concern bordering on contempt.
The day began with a rare apology from the US leader, for retweeting a British far-right group’s videos apparently showing Islamist violence.
“If you’re telling me they’re horrible racist people, I would certainly apologise if you’d like me to do that,” he told Good Morning Britain’s Piers Morgan during an interview conducted in Davos and broadcast yesterday.
Trump sparked outrage in Britain in November when he retweeted, in quick succession, three anti-muslim videos posted by Jayda Fransen, the deputy leader of Britain First who was in 2016 convicted of religiously aggravated harassment of a Muslim woman.
This year’s Woodstock of global capitalism in Davos has been dominated by handwringing about Trump-driven protectionism and turmoil in currency markets caused by his treasury secretary.
Trump is expected to claim that his business-friendly tax reforms and determination to tear up regulation have brought prosperity and a booming stock market. His language in Davos so far suggests he is less likely to emphasise his “America First” agenda and threats to end deals that underpin global trade.
“I think the real message is we want great prosperity and we want great peace,” said Trump on the eve of his speech. “A lot of people are coming back to the United States. We are seeing tremendous investment.”
The former real estate mogul was on gladhanding form during a dinner Thursday with Siemens CEO Joe Kaeser, HSBC’S Mark Tucker and several other European bosses.
In opening remarks, each CEO was quick to stress the size of their US workforce, the many billions poured into America or to praise his tax cut.
Trump -- who made his name in politics by bashing elites, vowing to fight for the “forgotten people” and ignoring policy specifics -- laughed and doled out compliments about his guests’ entrepreneurial prowess.