World Economic Forum says Trump to take part virtually in Davos meeting, days after inauguration

Snow blankets the town of Davos prior to the 55th annual meeting of the World Economic Forum, WEF, in Switzerland, Friday, Jan. 3, 2025. (Gian Ehrenzeller/Keystone via AP)

GENEVA — U.S. President Donald Trump will take part virtually in the World Economic Forum’s annual meeting in Davos just days after his inauguration, the forum president said Tuesday.

Borge Brende, a former Norwegian foreign minister who heads the Geneva-based organization, noted that Trump had twice attended the elite gathering of business, government and other leaders in person during his first term.

“On Thursday afternoon, he will join us digitally, online, live in a dialogue with our participants,” Brende told reporters Tuesday as he presented the five-day program that will start Monday -- the day of Trump’s inauguration.

“We think that will be a very special moment,” he added, notably to help learn the administration’s “policy priorities.”

Brende said he didn’t know whether Elon Musk, the multibillionaire who is poised to co-lead Trump’s new Department of Government Efficiency, would attend, but said the forum expects “additional, high-level representation” from the administration once confirmation processes for Trump’s nominees get under way in the U.S. Senate as early as Monday.

Forum organizers say a record of around 900 business leaders, including from important emerging markets, will take part in the annual meeting this year, which is expected to draw nearly 3,000 participants from over 130 countries.

With climate change, war, global tensions, economic uncertainty and other issues in mind, Brende acknowledged that the 55th annual meeting of the forum will take place “against the most complicated geopolitical backdrop in generations.”

“But still in that fragmented and partly polarized world, there are still areas where we can collaborate and ... we have big opportunities and responsibilities to find those areas where there is a possibility to improve the state of the world,” he said. The theme of this year’s edition is “Collaboration for the Intelligent Age” -- a nod to the growing importance of technology in the world.

The WEF has long been derided as a gathering of world elites who plot the future at a cushy, snow-bound powwow in the Swiss Alps. Critics often argue the developing world gets less attention than global powers and big business in the West or Gulf states.

Forum managing director Mirek Dusek insisted that the number of businesses from developing countries in the “Global South” was growing, and the attendance of their leaders was “on parity” with that participation of leaders in the developed world.

Ursula Von Der Leyen, president of the European Union’s executive commission, plans to attend the opening day of meetings on Tuesday, after an introductory gala the night before. Other top envoys include President Javier Milei of Argentina, President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa, and Chinese Vice-Premier Ding Xuexiang.

The vast array of topics will include the future of Syria -- its new foreign minister is expected to attend -- after the fall of President Bashar Assad last month; the fight against climate change; the threats and promise of artificial intelligence; global trade and economic growth, and wars in places like Ukraine, Sudan and beyond.

“We are ready to roll up our sleeves to make the best out of a situation where we are faced with many, many challenges,” Brende said.

Jamey Keaten, The Associated Press