The recent World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland is unusually memorable because of speeches by Canada Prime Minister Mark Carney and United States President Donald Trump.
Carney received standing applause after speaking for less than 30 minutes while Trump received only polite applause after speaking for more than an hour.
Carney offered a vision for how middle powers can avoid domination by great powers. They should have a strong economy, adequate defence capability and strategic partnerships with other countries based on shared interests and values. This strategy will position middle powers to protect their territory and economy from imperialistic ambitions of great powers.
Carney warned "if we’re not at the table, we’re on the menu".
Carney’s speech was a cogent analysis of dynamics in international politics. An admirable version of realism for middle powers.
Trump’s speech, on the other hand, was a rambling mix of his achievements, grievances and false statements.
Clearly irritated by Carney’s speech, Trump remarked for Canadian ears in the auditorium: "I watched your prime minister yesterday. He wasn’t so grateful. They should be grateful to us, Canada. Canada lives because of the United States. Remember that, Mark, the next time you make your statements."
This was not the first time Trump has belittled Canada. Several times last year he opined the US doesn’t need anything from Canada, Canada’s viability as a country depends on trade with the US, and Canada should be annexed by the US.
Carney, while visiting Quebec City the next day, retorted "Canada doesn’t live because of the United States. Canada thrives because we are Canadian".
Trump decided to discipline Canada. He rescinded the invitation for Canada’s participation on his planned international Board of Peace.
Trump was also unhappy that Canada was negotiating with China for lowering tariffs on their trade. On his Truth Social media platform Trump warned "Governor Carney" that Canadian imports to the US would be tariffed 100% if Canada made a trade deal with China.
Addressing Canada’s prime minister as governor on social media is Trump’s mocking way of forecasting statehood for Canada in the US.
In a previous column (ODT 14.1.26) I argued Trump disdains Nato. His disdain was displayed in Davos. Trump complained in his speech the US has given much to the alliance but received nothing in return while never asking for anything. Furthermore, he wasn’t confident the US could rely on the Nato allies for help in a crisis.
The Nato allies were stunned by the inexplicable criticism. Nato Secretary-general Mark Rutte assured Trump the US can rely on Nato in a crisis and reminded him Nato countries contributed troops to the US-led military campaign in Afghanistan.
Interviewed on Fox Business the next day, Trump added insult to injury by claiming Nato troops avoided the frontline of battle in Afghanistan.
The pushback was fast and angry. An exasperated UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer denounced Trump’s disparagement of Nato troops as "insulting and frankly appalling". At the US Embassy in Copenhagen veterans placed flags tagged with the names of Danish soldiers killed in Afghanistan.
Trump included another grievance with the Nato allies in his speech. After all the US has done for them, Trump complained, they ungratefully supported Denmark’s refusal of his "very small ask" for Greenland.
He warned ambiguously: "You can say yes, and we will be very appreciative. Or you can say no, and we will remember."
The next day Trump met privately with Rutte about Greenland. Following their meeting, Trump posted on Truth Social they agreed on a framework for a future deal on Greenland and the Arctic region. The posting did not reveal anything about the framework.
Trump wanted the audience for his speech to know about a phone call he had with former Switzerland president Karin Keller-Sutter. He could not recall her name and thought he spoke with the prime minister. Trump did not know Switzerland does not have a prime minister.
According to Trump’s telling, Keller-Sutter pleaded for relief from the 30% tariff he imposed on imports from Switzerland. Trump mocked her for repeatedly complaining the tariff hurt because Switzerland is a small country.
After the phone call, Trump increased the tariff to 39% because "she just rubbed me the wrong way". For a reason that could make sense only to Trump, he thought this was an amusing story for a speech in Switzerland.
Trump’s speech at Davos should rank as the worst speech delivered by an American president outside the US.
Carney’s vision for middle powers is gaining traction. Individually and collectively through the European Union, European middle powers are negotiating low tariff and free trade agreements with countries in Asia and South America. They are also planning to strengthen their military infrastructure to reduce dependence on the US for security in Europe.
New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon’s recent State of the Nation speech aligns with Carney’s analysis of international politics and vision. Luxon discussed how New Zealand is protecting its interests and values in relationships with other countries. New Zealand’s expanding trade partnerships reduce vulnerability to economic coercion.
Increasing expenditure for defence also increases New Zealand’s capability for contributing to regional security.
— Richard Byrne is a retired professor of government and history at the University of Maryland Global Campus, who is now resident in Dunedin.
