On Monday, January 19th, the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland kicked off. The five-day conference is expected to attract nearly 3,000 leaders from various fields, including about 65 heads of state and government officials. US President Trump will also lead a delegation to attend and meet with world leaders. The Greenland issue is expected to be one of the focal points of discussion.
The convening of the economic forum comes at a time when the world is facing turbulent global conditions. President Trump’s presence has transformed this gathering into a highly anticipated event.
According to the official website of the World Economic Forum in Davos, the 2026 forum will bring together nearly 3,000 leaders from over 130 countries. This year’s meeting will see a record number of political leaders in attendance, with 400 senior political leaders, including about 65 heads of state and government officials – among them 6 leaders from the Group of Seven (G7) member countries. In addition, approximately 850 top CEOs and chairpersons of global companies, as well as around 100 leaders from unicorn companies and technological pioneers, will also participate in the forum.
President Trump will make his first appearance in Davos in six years and deliver a speech. Børge Brende, the CEO of the World Economic Forum, mentioned that aside from Trump, the US delegation will include important cabinet members and senior officials, making it one of the largest delegations from the US in recent years.
Reportedly by the BBC, Trump will lead five cabinet members, a large group of government officials, and elite figures from the US business community to participate in the Davos Forum, including CEOs like Jensen Huang from Nvidia and Satya Nadella from Microsoft.
CEO Brende mentioned in a pre-forum media conference call that this year’s meeting is being held amidst the most complex geopolitical backdrop since 1945.
Mark Penn, a former advisor to President Clinton and current advertising executive, stated that Trump is “reshaping the global agenda, and Davos must follow suit.”
US Treasury Secretary Bessent announced during the Davos forum that President Trump will attend on Wednesday and Thursday to summarize the past year’s work and outline his expectations for the future.
Bessent stressed that Trump’s message will convey that “America First” does not mean isolation and the President will demonstrate “what American leadership on the world stage looks like.”
Trump is expected to hold meetings with several world leaders during the Davos Forum. The recent announcement of tariffs on eight European countries due to the Greenland issue has sparked a diplomatic row. NATO Secretary-General also expressed his readiness to engage with Trump on the security situation in Greenland and the Arctic, looking forward to a meeting at Davos.
German Chancellor Merkel indicated her intention to meet with Trump on Wednesday to discuss the Greenland tariff issue.
European Commission President von der Leyen and Ukrainian President Zelensky will also be attending the forum. Whether they have scheduled meetings with Trump themselves is a matter of high interest.
While the official agenda of the Davos forum covers topics such as innovation and economic growth, the discussions are expected to primarily focus on the various actions taken by the Trump administration, including intentions to acquire Greenland and tariff issues.
The “USA House,” a building that will serve as the headquarters for the US delegation’s activities, is expected to be a central hub. Originally built as a church in the late 19th century, it has been repurposed into a conference venue adorned with symbols celebrating the 250th anniversary of the founding of America. The building is set to host a variety of meetings and other events.
According to a source familiar with the matter, the “USA House” initially planned related government officials’ activities for Wednesday and Thursday, but with a large influx of American officials expected to visit, the events have been extended to a week-long conference.