I was in the room when Trump addressed leaders in Davos. Here are my top takeaways

This week successful Davos has been astir many things: AI, geopolitics and markets. But President Donald Trump has been firmly astatine the beforehand of everyone's mind.

His much-anticipated code astatine the World Economic Forum drew thousands, with attendees queuing for hours to get into the Congress Hall.

I was 1 of them. I stood successful enactment for much than an hr and a half. Even Blackstone Group CEO Steve Schwarzman had to hold successful enactment with the remainder of us. I yet cleared information and recovered a spot — lucky, given that galore were refused introduction to the hall.

As the crowd packed in, the ambiance began to lucifer thing person to a star- studded concert than a argumentation forum. The assemblage included Apple CEO Tim Cook, European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde, World Bank President Ajay Banga, arsenic good arsenic elder governmental and concern figures such as Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney.

There were some lighter moments earlier the code began; Cook greeting Banga with a choky hug, Lagarde exchanging lukewarm hellos with European officials — small, quality interactions earlier the country shifted into anticipation.

Trump was met with large applause arsenic helium took the signifier for what galore billed arsenic the astir intimately watched code of this year's Davos.

He opened by saying it was bully to spot truthful galore friends and "some enemies," drafting laughter from the crowd. From there, helium leaned heavy into self-assessment, describing himself arsenic the astir palmy president and pointing to what helium said were his major achievements accomplished in conscionable 1 year.

"People are doing precise good and are blessed with me," Trump said, prompting a premix of laughter and applause.

The code oscillated betwixt wit and provocation. Trump took purpose astatine respective figures, including a swipe at French President Emmanuel Macron's sunglasses, asking: "What the hellhole was that?"

He besides directed a fig of comments astatine Carney. A CEO seated adjacent told me, connected information of anonymity, that Carney took it successful bully humor, smiling and nodding along.

After much than an hour, Trump turned to the taxable galore successful the country had been bracing for."Would you similar maine to speech astir Greenland?" helium asked, drafting a loud "yeah!" from the audience. Around me, immoderate attendees shook their heads. One idiosyncratic seated down me, who said they were Danish, muttered: "This is ridiculous."

"I americium seeking contiguous negotiations to erstwhile again sermon the acquisition of Greenland by the United States," Trump said.

The country fell noticeably quieter. "This is scary," 1 attendee successful beforehand of maine said, exchanging uneasy glances with others.

"So they person a choice. You tin accidental yes, and we volition beryllium precise appreciative. Or you tin accidental nary and we volition remember," Trump said connected Greenland, though helium did, for the archetypal time, say he would not usage force — resulting successful a corporate suspiration of relief.

Trump besides kept referring to Greenland arsenic a "piece of ice" and appeared to confuse it with Iceland — different European state altogether.

The president also criticised Europe much broadly, saying parts of the continent had go "unrecognizable," and described erstwhile Swiss President Karin Keller-Sutter arsenic "difficult."

"She kept saying the aforesaid happening implicit and over. She rubbed maine the incorrect way," helium said.

The code was followed by a fireside chat with WEF President Børge Brende, but by then — aft good implicit an hr — some of the assemblage had begun to drift out.

As I left, I asked a fewer attendees what they thought. One tech CEO summed it up succinctly: helium wasn't definite whether to laughter oregon consciousness nervous, a sentiment echoed by respective others.

"Yes, we laughed," 1 person told me. "But it's besides frightening to deliberation helium mightiness really effort to execute immoderate of this."