In the snowy peaks of Davos, Switzerland, world leaders gathered at the World Economic Forum 2026, but tensions were sky-high. American President Donald Trump made headlines by attending the forum while snubbing an emergency G7 summit in Paris hosted by France.
French President Emmanuel Macron had extended a personal invitation to Trump for the G7, only to face a blunt refusal. ‘No, I won’t go,’ Trump declared on Truth Social, sharing a screenshot of their exchange. He dismissed Macron, saying the French leader wouldn’t last long and lacked stability.
The rift deepened over Trump’s aggressive moves. His push to annex Greenland and newfound interest in Canada sparked outrage. Forum leaders, without naming Trump, rallied against the pressures from major powers.
Macron urged building bridges with emerging nations, BRICS, and G20 for greater cooperation amid global instability. ‘The world faces imbalance; we must respond with unity,’ he stated firmly.
Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney echoed the call, warning, ‘Middle powers must unite. If you’re not at the table, you’re on the menu.’ He painted a grim picture: the world order crumbling, a ‘brutal reality’ where big powers reign unchecked.
‘We’re not in a change, but a disintegration,’ Carney added starkly.
Trump escalated by threatening 10% tariffs on seven countries, including France and Denmark, opposing his Greenland ambitions. EU chief Ursula von der Leyen slammed it as a dangerous path aiding enemies.
US officials in Davos tried damage control. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent called for calm, comparing the threats to earlier tariff announcements. Trade Rep Jamieson Greer called it a negotiation tactic.
Macron fired back, accusing the US of using tariffs to weaken Europe and dismantle rules-based order. He also flagged China’s overcapacity threatening industries and referenced Russia’s Ukraine invasion.
On Greenland, Macron reaffirmed commitment to sovereignty, UN charter, and joint exercises with Denmark—solidarity without threats.
As leaders invoke WWII lessons, the call for cooperation grows louder against rising geopolitical storms.
