President Donald Trump is set to return to the World Economic Forum’s annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland, next week, leading a record-sized US delegation, organisers announced on Tuesday.
The Geneva-based think tank, which organises the prestigious gathering, noted that Mr Trump’s assertive foreign policy, particularly on issues such as Venezuela and Greenland in recent months, has stirred concerns among both allies and adversaries. He will be joined by five Cabinet secretaries and other senior officials for the event, running from Monday until 23 January.
The Alpine resort is preparing to host 3,000 participants from 130 countries, including 850 chief executives and chairs of the world’s top companies, the forum confirmed.
Forum President Borge Brende stated that six leaders from the Group of Seven nations, including Mr Trump, are expected to attend. They will be joined by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Syria’s Ahmad al-Sharaa, among other prominent global figures.
A total of 64 heads of state or government are expected so far — also a record — though that number could increase before the start of the event, he said.
China’s delegation will be headed by Vice Premier He Lifeng, Beijing’s top trade official, Brende said.
Among the scores of other high-profile attendees expected are European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, World Trade Organization Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala as well as tech industry titans Jensen Huang, CEO of Nvidia, and Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella.
Brende said the U.S. delegation will include Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, along with Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner and special envoy Steve Witkoff.
The forum, which held its first annual meeting in 1971, has long been a hub of dialogue, debate and deal-making. Trump has already attended twice while president, and was beamed in by video last year just days after being inaugurated for his second term.
Critics call it a venue for the world’s elites to hobnob and do business that sometimes comes at the expense of workers, the impoverished or people on the margins of society. The forum counters that its stated goal is “improving the state of the world” and insists many advocacy groups, academics and cultural leaders have an important role too.
This year’s edition will be the first annual meeting not headed by forum founder Klaus Schwab, who resigned last year. He’s been succeeded by interim co-chairs Larry Fink, chairman and CEO of New York-based investment management company BlackRock, and Andre Hoffmann, the vice chairman of Swiss pharmaceuticals company Roche Holdings.
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