Newsom Slams World Leaders for Weak Trump Response at Davos/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ California Governor Gavin Newsom sharply criticized world leaders at the Davos summit for failing to confront President Trump over his push to acquire Greenland. He accused them of cowardice and complicity, even mocking their behavior as sycophantic. Newsom’s comments come as Trump escalates tensions with AI-generated images and tariff threats.
Newsom vs. Trump: Quick Looks
- Newsom accuses leaders of “complicity” and cowardice over Trump’s Greenland demands
- Mocked world leaders: “I should’ve brought kneepads”
- Trump shares AI-generated image showing U.S. flag on Greenland
- EU leaders depicted bowing to Trump in altered Oval Office image
- Newsom warns Europe is now “paying the price” for appeasement
- Davos summit draws ~3,000 global business and policy figures
- Trump threatens 200% tariffs on French wine and champagne
- Greenland dispute overshadows other summit issues like inequality and AI’s impact on jobs
- No confirmed meeting between Newsom and Trump at Davos
Deep Look: Newsom Slams World Leaders for Weak Trump Response at Davos
DAVOS, Switzerland — California Governor Gavin Newsom unleashed a fiery critique of world leaders on Tuesday, accusing them of rolling over in the face of President Donald Trump’s aggressive push to take control of Greenland, a Danish autonomous territory.
“It’s time to buck up. It’s time to get serious and stop being complicit,” Newsom told reporters at the World Economic Forum, calling for European leaders to *“stand tall and have a backbone.”
Mocking the tone of recent diplomacy, Newsom quipped:
“I should have brought a bunch of kneepads for all the world leaders.”
Growing Tensions Over Greenland
Newsom’s remarks come amid escalating tensions between the White House and European allies, sparked by Trump’s public statements — and private texts — demanding U.S. control of Greenland. In response, many leaders have expressed concern behind closed doors, but Newsom blasted them for failing to act publicly.
“Handing out crowns, handing out Nobel Prizes — it’s just pathetic,” Newsom added. “From an American perspective, it’s embarrassing.”
The sharp words followed Trump’s latest Truth Social posts, including a text exchange with Danish and Greenlandic leaders, and an admission that not winning the Nobel Peace Prize had changed his global outlook.
“I no longer feel an obligation to think purely of peace,” Trump reportedly wrote.
Trump Trolls EU with AI Images of Greenland Takeover
The tension escalated further when Trump shared AI-generated images portraying a fictional U.S. annexation of Greenland.
- One image showed Trump planting the American flag in Greenland, with Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio by his side. A sign declared: “Greenland – U.S. Territory, Est. 2026.”
- Another image depicted top EU leaders — UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, France’s Emmanuel Macron, NATO’s Mark Rutte, and Italy’s Giorgia Meloni — gathered around a map in the Oval Office showing Greenland, Canada, and Venezuela as newly absorbed U.S. territories.
These visuals added to the spectacle and frustration among U.S. allies, with Newsom warning that Trump was “playing folks for fools.”
“He’s a T-Rex. You either meet with him, or he devours you,” Newsom said.
“Europe Paying the Price” for Appeasement
According to Newsom, European leaders are now facing the consequences of failing to challenge Trump earlier, leaving the continent in a weakened negotiating position.
“Europe is paying the price for being too timid,” he said. “They’ve let things go too far.”
The EU is now under pressure to respond to Trump’s threats of tariffs and demands for territorial concessions. France’s Emmanuel Macron has taken a firmer stance, but Newsom believes the collective response remains disjointed and ineffective.
What’s Next at Davos
President Trump is scheduled to speak Wednesday at Davos, marking his third appearance at the elite summit. His speech is expected to expand on his Greenland strategy, tariff policies, and vision for U.S. global dominance.
The summit — which has drawn nearly 3,000 leaders from government, business, and advocacy — is focused on pressing global challenges such as economic inequality, technological disruption, and geopolitical instability.
But Trump’s presence and escalating rhetoric have overshadowed many of those core topics.
“This summit should be about real issues,” Newsom said, “not cartoonish land grabs and digital propaganda.”
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