Forget Greenland. This was the week Donald Trump colonised Davos - and much that it represented.
The Swiss ski resort's economic forum was long the annual shindig of globalism's schmooze-set. This time it was all Trump. He sucked in its energy. Chunks of agenda were pulled from their moorings and flew to him, iron filings to an industrial magnet. The stooped old egomaniac was a forcefield of attention, unconcerned by the disapproval of middle-power minnows. Europe's club-class could but watch and gawp.
Centre-stage, Mr Trump sat surrounded by his 'Board of Peace' that will try to rebuild flattened Gaza. What a line-up. It could have been a collection of Bosphorus masseurs and Central-Asia police chiefs. A preponderance of burly moustaches and geezers with rolling gaits and rheumy eyes. Plus Argentina's Javier Milei, whose hair has gone late-era Liz Taylor.
'Everyone here is a star,' drawled Mr Trump. He might more accurately have said 'almost everyone here is a bit of an armlifter'. Among them: Ilham Aliyev, strongman leader of Azerbaijan, moisture seeping from one of his languid headlights; a busy little Saudi prince; Hungary’s Viktor Orban (been at the biscuits); a dapper prime minister of Pakistan; and the rotund president of Indonesia, human rights not altogether his forte. Davos events are normally compered by Swiss-accented Frauleins but this time it was Karoline Leavitt, Mr Trump’s all-American press secretary.
European leaders, including our own prize asset, boycotted the ceremony. Mr Trump was undented. But Sir Tony Blair, celebrated angel of peace, was there, palming his business card, cementing connections. Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper was outside in the snow, wobbling her head about legalities. An honourable position, but the impetus was with Trump.
Centre-stage, Mr Trump sat surrounded by his 'Board of Peace' that will try to rebuild flattened Gaza. What a line-up. It could have been a collection of Bosphorus masseurs and Central-Asia police chiefs, writes Quentin Letts
Sir Tony Blair, celebrated angel of peace, was there at the World Economic Forum, palming his business card, cementing connections, writes Quentin Letts
Germany's beanpole Chancellor, Friedrich Merz had earlier given a metronomically paced speech about the dizzying geopolitical changes. The world was 'not a cosy place' but he hoped the traditional Western powers could still shape its future if they faced 'harsh realities'. They must invest in defence and make their economies competitive. 'We are doing this,' said Herr Merz. The pfennig may be dropping in Berlin but Westminster is far from any such recognition. Sir Keir's lunge back towards regulation-heavy Brussels will only make things worse.
Herr Merz added that America's former allies must stay 'calm'. He had a euphonic way of saying this. It became 'colm', with the 'l' audible. One suspects Friedrich Merz is seldom anything but 'colm'.
Nigel Farage did a breakfast discussion event with Bloomberg's Stephanie Flanders, archetypal Miss Davos, all posh glottal stops, blue nail-varnish and sceptical moues with a shrewdly shaken fringe. Mr Farage hoicked his right shin on to his left knee, said ‘frankly’ a lot and admitted he disliked bankers. Reality may be kicking in with Reform’s economic policies. ‘We’re going to reduce welfare spending,’ he said. ‘We’re going to cut spending.’ Installing upgrade, as computers put it.
One of Britain’s biggest problems, said Mr Farage, was its ‘moronic energy policy’. In former years that would have drawn gasps. This time they took it without demur. As for Mark Carney, the Canadian PM whose carry-on-globalising speech had Davos in such raptures, Mr Farage called him ‘the chap that gets everything wrong and keeps being promoted’. Stephanie shot him a bad-prawn glance.
Back in the main hall Mr Trump was hailing his grisly chums as ‘extraordinary leaders’ - that was certainly one way of putting it - and calling them ‘the most powerful people in the world’. As he took his leave they competed to shake his hand and they touched their ties and sucked in their tummies, as supplicants do. Herr Merz had said ‘democracies do not have subordinates, they have allies’. Here in the cold new world, opportunist go-getters were happy to genuflect to the great Sol Invictus. And as he departed through the building’s halls, reporters screamed questions, asking him about every trouble spot on Earth. ‘What are you going to do about Yemen?’ yelled one.
Sun God Trump beamed. He was in his element.