Where Is Davos? Denmark Snubs Economic Forum As Donald Trump Escalates Greenland Row

A political firestorm has overshadowed what should be one of the world's most prestigious networking events. As Donald Trump prepares to make his triumphant return to the World Economic Forum in Davos, the Danish government has made the striking decision to boycott the annual meeting entirely, signalling the profound fractures that now threaten international relations over the American president's ambitious plans to acquire Greenland.

For the first time since leaving office, Trump will attend Davos in person this week, bringing with him what organisers describe as the 'largest' United States delegation yet. Yet the symbolism cuts both ways. His attendance at a forum dedicated to global cooperation arrives as the geopolitical landscape fractures along increasingly nationalistic lines, with Washington applying economic pressure to reluctant allies and smaller nations demonstrating their refusal to be intimidated.

The Danish withdrawal is merely the tip of the iceberg. Behind the scenes, a carefully choreographed absence list reveals the extent to which Trump's presidency has created divisions among world powers. China's Xi Jinping, Brazil's Lula da Silva and India's Narendra Modi are all staying away. Britain's Keir Starmer has neither confirmed nor denied his attendance, whilst Italy's Giorgia Meloni remains mysteriously absent from the official register, despite reports suggesting she may show up.

Davos Descends Into Political Theatre Amid Trump's Greenland Ultimatum

The World Economic Forum's annual gathering, which runs from Monday evening through Friday morning, promises what organisers call 'a spirit of dialogue' across five thematic pillars. Yet few believe this year's proceedings will reflect anything remotely diplomatic. Instead, the forum has transformed into something far more volatile: a stage on which global powers will perform their allegiances and grievances whilst Tesla and technology chief executive officers network in Alpine luxury.

The Danish government's decision to skip Davos emerged late Monday, a symbolic middle finger to what has become an increasingly destabilising American foreign policy agenda. A World Economic Forum spokesperson confirmed the news with careful language: 'Any decisions on attendance are a matter for the government concerned. We can confirm that the Danish government will not be represented in Davos this week.' The timing proves significant. This announcement arrived merely days after Trump escalated his threats against European nations resisting Greenland's sale, announcing fresh tariffs on Denmark and other countries deemed insufficiently cooperative.

Denmark's absence sends an unmistakable message. One of Europe's oldest democracies, a stalwart Nato member, and a NATO partner for decades, the nation refuses to be present at a gathering where American economic leverage might be weaponised for geopolitical ends. As the geopolitical temperature rises, other nations quietly recalibrated their attendance calculations. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez cancelled his plans following a catastrophic train collision that killed 39 people, offering both a practical and symbolic withdrawal from the proceedings.

The Great Davos Reshuffle: Who's Coming and Who's Conspicuously Missing

Organisers have attempted to maintain optimistic projections about attendance numbers. The World Economic Forum claims that roughly 3,000 cross-sector leaders will attend, including a purported 'record' 400 political leaders, 850 top company executives and 100 technology pioneers. These figures ring increasingly hollow when examined against who's actually staying home.

The absence list reads like a study in geopolitical reckoning. China's Xi Jinping, who has not attended in recent years, remains absent. India's Modi and Brazil's Lula skip the gathering entirely, meaning three of the five BRICS nations have opted out. Yet World Economic Forum president Børge Brende attempted to spin this narrative, describing India's delegation as 'strong' and emphasising that China will dispatch 'a big delegation' led by Vice Premier He Lifeng.

Six of the world's G7 nations are sending representatives, a development Brende characterised as 'historic'. Alongside Trump, French President Emmanuel Macron, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz will attend in person. The British government maintains strategic ambiguity regarding whether Starmer will appear, though he conducted an emergency press conference Monday morning to address Trump's tariff threats without directly answering whether he intends to meet the president face-to-face.

Curiously, Nigel Farage, leader of the right-wing Reform UK, is expected to grace the slopes this year. The political iconoclast once derided Davos as an elite talking shop where 'people deciding our futures in Swiss ski resorts' convened in rarefied isolation. His presence now alongside Trump suggests a symbolic convergence of populist sentiment at an event historically built on liberal internationalism.

Britain's Finance Minister Rachel Reeves will attend and appear as a guest on CNBC's programme 'Squawk Box Europe' on Wednesday, suggesting at least some attempt to maintain economic engagement even amidst political tension. BlackRock CEO Larry Fink and Roche vice-chair André Hoffmann have assumed interim co-leadership roles after Klaus Schwab stepped down in April following misconduct allegations, from which he was subsequently cleared.

The technology sector has sent sufficient luminaries to justify calling it a secondary gathering. Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, Microsoft's Satya Nadella, Anthropic's Dario Amodei and DeepMind's Demis Hassabis will all attend. OpenAI's Sam Altman notably will not, though CFO Sarah Friar will participate. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and JP Morgan CEO Jamie Dimon round out a guest list that attempts to project continuity despite transparent fissures.

Trump is scheduled to address the forum on Wednesday, a speech that will likely set the tone for the remainder of the event. His delegation will include Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Middle East special envoy Steve Witkoff and adviser Jared Kushner—a visible show of administrative depth and intent.

As McKinsey partner Eric Kutcher observed, the real story at Davos has fundamentally shifted. 'It's going to be about who is there,' he noted. 'Much more so than what you see in the topics.' In an era defined by nationalist retrenchment and multipolar competition, the forum that once celebrated borderless globalisation has become a theatre for competitive advantage and calculated absence.