Gavin Newsom's blunt advice sums up the mood in Davos: "There's no diplomacy with Donald Trump - he's a T Rex. You mate with him or he devours you." The US president's arrival at this year's World Economic Forum (WEF) gathering has dominated the agenda, with many world leaders bracing for his intemperate attack on European allies.
Trump's Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent urged calm, warning that the US is not looking for a trade war. However, a string of European leaders have taken a harder line. Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, warned that recent chaotic events underscore the need for "a new form of European independence." Emmanuel Macron, French President, painted a picture of autocracy vs democracy and warned of "new imperialism or new colonialism."
Canada's Mark Carney echoed Newsom's sentiment, stating that if you are not at the table, you are on the menu. He also noted that countries often go along to avoid trouble, but compliance won't buy safety - it will only lead to more risk.
Meanwhile, Trump's Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick argued that globalisation has failed and warned of a trade war unless nations look out for their own interests. His comments were met with skepticism by many in attendance.
Despite these tensions, analysts predict that Trump will try to woo the audience when he addresses Davos on Wednesday, rather than create fresh drama. However, with both sides displaying clear red lines, the stage is set for a dramatic showdown between the T Rex and the global elite.
Trump's Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent urged calm, warning that the US is not looking for a trade war. However, a string of European leaders have taken a harder line. Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, warned that recent chaotic events underscore the need for "a new form of European independence." Emmanuel Macron, French President, painted a picture of autocracy vs democracy and warned of "new imperialism or new colonialism."
Canada's Mark Carney echoed Newsom's sentiment, stating that if you are not at the table, you are on the menu. He also noted that countries often go along to avoid trouble, but compliance won't buy safety - it will only lead to more risk.
Meanwhile, Trump's Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick argued that globalisation has failed and warned of a trade war unless nations look out for their own interests. His comments were met with skepticism by many in attendance.
Despite these tensions, analysts predict that Trump will try to woo the audience when he addresses Davos on Wednesday, rather than create fresh drama. However, with both sides displaying clear red lines, the stage is set for a dramatic showdown between the T Rex and the global elite.
Trump's arrival at Davos is like throwing a wild card into a high-stakes poker game... he never knows when to fold 
. World leaders are walking on eggshells, waiting for him to make his next move. Meanwhile, he's still playing the victim, claiming others are the ones being aggressive 
. The T Rex is indeed powerful, but he needs to learn how to share the table instead of trying to devour everyone else 
.
I mean i know he's got his own way of speaking but like come on be diplomatic or somethin 
. its crazy how much power he has tho like who lets a guy just dictate policy without even tryin to understand the other side? 
. I mean, I get it, we need to stand firm against some of these policies, but do we really have to resort to calling him a T Rex? That just shows how much animosity there is in the room 
.
. Mark Carney's got a good point, though - if we're not at the table, we are basically saying "we don't care about you" 
.
. It's like, what happened to that? 
. I'm not surprised that world leaders are on edge, but come on, mate! It's like he's trying to make everyone's job harder than it needs to be 
. Mark Carney's comment about being "on the menu" if you're not at the table really hits the nail on the head 
. I mean, we get it, Trump's a straight shooter, but does that have to mean he has to knock everyone else off their feet? 
. It's like, come on, nations, you can't really separate yourselves from each other now. I think that's what Trump doesn't get – the world's too connected, and his attempts to create more division are just going to backfire 
.
, but this year it's shaping up to be the wildest of all 
. it's like, we get it, u're a strong leader, but do u have to be so... brutal?
. who needs "new imperialism" when u can have true global cooperation? let's not forget what we're fighting against here...
Trump's comments are like a middle school kid trying to get attention but honestly how many times can one person say "trade war" before it gets old? 
Newsom's quote about the T Rex was spot on btw 
.
. But at the same time, do we really want to keep going along just to avoid trouble? It's like Canada just gave up on itself 
.
! Like, if you're gonna blame someone, you should at least try to come up with a good plan, right? 
. And can we just say that globalization hasn't been working out so well for anyone? 
Maybe it's time for some countries to start looking out for themselves? 
. Fingers crossed that Trump doesn't make things worse when he speaks at Davos on Wednesday 
.
. Anyway, the more I think about it, the more I realize that we're all just trying to navigate this crazy system and figure out how to be good humans at the same time 
.
. Can we all just try to get along? 
who cares about "new imperialism" or "autocracy vs democracy"? let's focus on actual issues like climate change and economic inequality instead of playing politics 
.
. And Mark Carney's point about being at the table or getting left behind is so true 
!
I'm Team Newsom all the way - who needs diplomacy when you've got Trump's brand of blunt honesty? 
. Newsom's blunt comment about Trump being a T Rex kinda sums up the mood, though 
. Will it be more diplomacy or all-out showdown? Only time will tell 
. One thing's for sure - it's not going to be boring 
- he's not just a bad guy, there's more to him than what's being reported on his tweets & speeches. it's easy to demonize someone from afar but we need to see beyond the surface level of the issue. meanwhile, these world leaders are all about playing the tough guy card - like, where's the diplomacy?