President Trump took a victory lap Thursday at a major economic forum in Switzerland, boasting of an “economic miracle” in the U.S. and daring “not recognizable” parts of Europe to follow his lead.
“Our economy is booming, growth is exploding,” Mr. Trump said at the World Economic Forum in Davos. “Inflation has been defeated.”
Mr. Trump said the U.S. border is impenetrable and the stock market is hitting record highs.
“People are doing well, they’re very happy with me,” he told the gathering of business and government leaders. “We are the hottest country anywhere in the world.”
The president faces pressure back home to reduce prices for everyday things such as groceries and utilities, though Mr. Trump said sunny days are ahead.
“The USA is the economic engine on the planet,” Mr. Trump said.
He pointed to higher exports and an increase in domestic oil, natural gas and steel production. And he said foreign nations are flocking to the U.S. to retain access to the rich American market.
“When the United States goes up, you follow,” the president said.
Mr. Trump said Europe, meanwhile, is not heading in the right direction, pointing to unchecked migration and government spending.
Mr. Trump also criticized European nations for pursuing climate-friendly energy policies, saying windmills and other renewable projects are causing energy costs to soar. He called it the “Green New Scam.”
“Perhaps the greatest hoax in history,” Mr. Trump said. “You’re supposed to make money with energy, not lose money.”
European leaders attending the forum are far more worried about another source of tension — Mr. Trump’s plan to acquire Greenland.
Mr. Trump says the U.S. must own Greenland to ward off Russian and Chinese influence in the Arctic. He’s keeping all options on the table in acquiring the island, which is controlled by Denmark.
The pressure campaign is raising tensions with longtime European allies and raising questions about Mr. Trump’s commitment to the 80-year-old NATO alliance.
On Wednesday, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said he could not imagine the alliance without the U.S.
The U.S. “is by far the most powerful nation on earth, and the president of the United States is the leader of the free world,” Mr. Rutte said. “And you cannot envision NATO without the leader of the free world being an integral part of that organization.”
Mr. Trump is taking an aggressive stance in the Western Hemisphere as part of a “Don-roe Doctrine” that established the U.S. as the dominant player and boxes out powerful adversaries.
The president defended his capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro to face narco-terrorism charges, saying it will allow the U.S. to tap into Venezuelan oil and split the profits with Caracas.
“We’re helping them,” Mr. Trump said. “They’ll be making more money than they’ve been making in a long time.”
Mr. Trump delivered his speech after a delayed trip to Switzerland. He had to turn back to suburban Maryland to switch planes after a minor electrical issue impacted the larger Air Force One model.
The president took a smaller plane to Zurich before switching to a helicopter to fly to Davos.
Someone had scrawled “Stop Wars Now” into the snow below the flight path. Some onlookers on the way to the Davos Congress Center gave him the middle finger.
• Tom Howell Jr. can be reached at thowell@washingtontimes.com.
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