Donald Trump unleashed on Europe within minutes of starting his hugely anticipated speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos.
The US president is addressing delegates and world leaders after clashing with European countries over Greenland.
Trump quickly told the packed audience: ‘I want to see Europe to go good, but it is not heading in the right direction.’
The Republican president used the punchy speech to slam ‘mass migration’ and lauded his own economic achievements.
Trump pitched up three hours late to the crucial summit after his Air Force One jet was forced to U-turn in mid-air en route to Switzerland.
The crew of the modified Boeing 747-200B made the call to abort the initial journey due to a minor electrical issue.
Speaking in Davos, President Trump praised the turnaround in Venezuela after his military attack on the South American country.
He said: ‘Venezuela is going to do fantastically well. We appreciate all of the cooperation we have been given.
‘We have been given great cooperation once the attack ended.’
The Republican president is stepping into a fraught geo-political gathering, with European leaders slamming his threats towards Greenland.
French President Emmanuel Macron addressed the conference yesterday, telling them he prefers ‘respect to bullies’ and the ‘rule of law to brutality’.
The strong language came after Trump said he would place a 200% tariffs on French wine and champagne after Macron rejected an offer to join his international ‘Board of Peace’.
Belgium’s Prime Minister Bart De Wever compared the US president to the ‘Very Hungry Caterpillar’ and said he was no longer behaving like an ally.
He told the forum: ‘We have to wake up, we have to rearm, we have to integrate our market and we have to seek new alliances.’
Trump said last week he would place 10% tariffs on several European countries, including the UK, until he was able to buy the Danish territory.
He threatened to increase that to 25% from June 1 if a deal is not agreed.
Is Keir Starmer going to Davos?
The Prime Minister is not planning to attend the World Economic Forum in Davos, Energy Secretary Ed Miliband confirmed this morning.
He told the BBC: ‘The prime minister’s got other engagements and he will engage with President Trump in his own way.’
Speaking at Prime Minister’s Questions today, he told MPs he ‘will not yield’to Trump in defending Danish sovereignty over the Greenland crisis.
He has also came under fire from Trump over the UK government’s plan to hand over the Chagos Islands to Mauritius.
The US leader called the arrangement ‘an act of GREAT STUPIDITY’ in a Truth social post on Tuesday morning.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves has been speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos.
Speaking in Switzerland this morning, she said the government would not rule out placing retaliatory tariffs on the US.
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