DAVOS, Switzerland - To muted applause and not a few stony faces, US President Donald Trump took the stage before hundreds of the world’s rich and powerful on Jan 21 for the most anticipated speech of 2026’s Davos forum.

But during the two-hour wait to get in, the excitement to hear the leader of the world’s most powerful nation in person was palpable – “It’s like a rock festival,” one attendee said.