Newsom to speak at next week's World Economic Forum in Switzerland one day after Trump

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Published: January 16, 2026 4:42pm

California Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Friday that he will attend next week's World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, where he plans to criticize President Donald Trump's economic agenda as “an assault on the free market." 

“Trump’s economic agenda betrays our nation," Newsome said in a statement: "It is not ‘America First’ but ‘Trump First’ – rewarding the favored, punishing the dissenters, and burdening the rest.

Newsom, considered a leading 2028 Democratic presidential candidate should he enter the race, is set to speak Thursday at the forum and meet privately with foreign leaders and business executives during the three-day trip, according to Politico.

"At the World Economic Forum, I will forcefully confront these abuses and resolutely defend the principles to which California owes its economic strength: disciplined governance, world-leading universities, boundless innovation, and an open embrace of global cultures,” he also said about his speech. 

Trump is scheduled to give his speech Wednesday and is expected to bring to Davos with him a large delegation including five of his Cabinet secretaries and members of Congress.

WEF chief executive Borge Brende said Trump is bringing the "largest U.S. delegation ever."

The forum runs Jan. 19-23. 

Misty Severi is a reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.

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