World Economic Forum Opens in Davos With 3000 Leaders, Trump Set to Attend

Historic Gathering Begins Amid Geopolitical Turbulence

The 56th Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF) officially opens from 19–23 January 2026 in Davos, Switzerland, under the theme "A Spirit of Dialogue". The World Economic Forum (WEF) 2026 meeting is being held in Davos, bringing together nearly 3,000 world leaders, CEOs and representatives from over 130 countries. This unprecedented assembly represents one of the most significant global gatherings since geopolitical tensions have escalated dramatically across multiple fronts.

400 top political leaders – including close to 65 heads of state and government and six of the G7's leaders – are expected to take part, alongside nearly 850 of the world's top CEOs and chairpersons, and almost 100 leading unicorns and technology pioneers. The sheer scale of representation underscores the critical importance world leaders place on this annual economic forum as a venue for direct dialogue during turbulent times.

Trump Returns to Davos With Largest U.S. Delegation

U.S. President Donald Trump will attend the World Economic Forum in Davos in person for the first time since 2020, bringing with him the "largest" U.S delegation yet. Trump's delegation is set to include U.S Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, plus Middle East special envoy Steve Witkoff and adviser Jared Kushner. The president is scheduled to address Davos on Wednesday.

Trump's presence dominates the agenda even before the forum officially convenes. All eyes are on the midweek, as US President Donald Trump is expected to make his first appearance at the summit in six years, arriving amid tensions over his attempts to acquire Greenland, his tariff threats against European allies and his military intervention in Venezuela. Trump, who is leading the biggest-ever U.S. delegation and will have about a half-dozen Cabinet secretaries in tow, is expected to discuss housing and affordability in his Davos speech on Wednesday.

Global Leaders Navigate Contested World Order

Alongside President Trump, French President Emmanuel Macron, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz are set to attend in person. The diversity of leadership representation reflects the complexity of modern global challenges, from trade tensions to security concerns.

The two likeliest counterweights to Trump's administration on the international scene — China and the European Union — get top billing on the first day of the event: EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will speak Tuesday morning, right before Vice Premier He Lifeng, China's "economic czar". This scheduling arrangement signals the forum's effort to provide balanced perspectives amid U.S.-China-Europe tensions.

Nearly 3,000 attendees from the interlinked worlds of business, advocacy and policy will tackle issues including the growing gap between rich and poor; AI's impact on jobs; concerns about geo-economic conflict; tariffs that have rocked longstanding trade relationships; and an erosion of trust between communities and countries.

Technology Leaders and Innovation at Center Stage

The forum places significant emphasis on artificial intelligence and emerging technologies. This year will also mark the debut appearance of Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, arguably the world's most important tech leader today, among some 850 CEOs and chairs of global companies. Alongside Nvidia's Huang, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei and DeepMind CEO Demis Hassabis are on WEF's attendance list.

The main themes focus on tackling economic challenges, geopolitics, the technology transition (generative AI) and sustainability, to shape the direction of global cooperation. The 2026 programme will focus on five key global challenges: cooperation in a contested world, unlocking new sources of growth, investing in people, deploying innovation responsibly and at scale, and building prosperity within planetary boundaries.

Wealth Inequality and Institutional Trust Under Scrutiny

Even as economic and political elites gather in the Alpine resort, critics highlight growing disparities. Oxfam, the world-renowned advocacy group, issued a report ahead of the Davos event which showed that billionaire wealth rose by more than 16 per cent last year, three times faster than the past five-year average, to more than US$18-trillion. Oxfam said the US$2.5-trillion rise in the wealth of billionaires last year would be enough to eradicate extreme poverty 26 times over.

Critics have long accused the annual meeting in Davos of generating more rhetoric than results, and they see Trump's return as sign of the disconnect between haves and have-nots. Nonetheless, The World Economic Forum, the think tank that hosts the annual event in the Alpine snows starting Tuesday, has a stated motto of "improving the state of the world" and this year's theme is "A Spirit of Dialogue."

Leadership Transition and Forum Evolution

New co-chairs Larry Fink, the head of investment firm BlackRock, and Andre Hoffman, vice chair of pharmaceuticals firm Roche, are in charge. The forum will be without its founder, Klaus Schwab, who hosted the first event in Davos 55 years ago. He stepped down in April. This transition marks a significant moment for the institution as it adapts to changing global dynamics and renewed focus on business and innovation leadership.

More than 200 sessions will be livestreamed via digital platforms, allowing audiences worldwide to follow the meeting in real time—reflecting Davos's role as a global forum that extends beyond on-site participants. The expanded digital reach ensures that the conversations and agreements forged in Davos resonate with stakeholders far beyond the Swiss mountain town.

As the World Economic Forum opens this week, the world will be watching closely to see whether the "Spirit of Dialogue" theme can foster genuine cooperation amid unprecedented geopolitical fragmentation, technological disruption, and economic inequality. Trump's in-person attendance and his Wednesday address represent a pivotal moment that will likely redefine the trajectory of global economic cooperation for years to come.