Trump at Davos 2026: What to expect

The 56th World Economic Forum kicks off on Monday in Davos, and President Donald Trump will be making his first in-person appearance at the summit since his first term.

He will lead the largest American delegation in history, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick. Tech and finance CEOs of Nvidia, Google, Microsoft, JPMorgan, Citadel, and more would be there.

Over 60 heads of state and government, including Germany’s Friedrich Merz, Canada’s Mark Carney, Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky, and EU President Ursula von der Leyen, will be present.

Expectations
The event occurs when Trump is pushing “America first” ideas. He introduced global tariffs that reshaped trade, the US captured Venezuela’s Nicolas Maduro through a military intervention, he has commented about the possibility of US engagement in Iran as unrest escalates, and he has been pushing for the annexation of Greenland. It is contrary to the WEF’s typical emphasis on global cooperation.

Who else is attending?
Tech leaders like Microsoft’s Satya Nadella and Nvidia’s Jensen Huang will navigate the AI landscape as it fuels the US economy and continues to impact the global workforce. A new WEF survey reveals that most young people fear AI will eliminate entry-level jobs within three years.

Trump’s plans
The President’s discussions are expected to center on navigating the new era of tariffs and international relations. He is set to meet G7 leaders and Zelenskyy on the sidelines to discuss security guarantees.

Trump also plans to unveil a controversial homeownership measure that would allow Americans to use 401(k) funds for down payments, a move critics fear could jeopardize retirement security.