US President Donald Trump on Thursday referred to himself as a “dictator” while defending his leadership style during an appearance at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland, saying that strong leadership is sometimes necessary.
Speaking at the Swiss Alpine resort, Trump reflected on the reaction to his address at the summit, expressing surprise at what he described as unusually positive coverage. “We had a good speech. We got great reviews. I can’t believe it,” Trump said.
Highlighting how he is typically portrayed, the US President added, “We got good reviews in that speech. Usually, they say he’s a horrible dictator-type person.” He then leaned into the label, saying, “I’m a dictator,” before quickly qualifying the remark. “But sometimes you need a dictator.”
Trump went on to describe his governing philosophy as pragmatic rather than ideological. “It’s all based on common sense,” he said. “It’s not conservative or liberal or anything else. It’s mostly, let’s say, 95 per cent common sense, and that’s what we have.”
Earlier in the day, Trump acknowledged that his rhetoric had created unease internationally but insisted his intentions had been misunderstood. “People thought I would use force, but I don’t have to use force,” he said. “I don’t want to use force. I won’t use force.”
Trump also addressed the controversy surrounding Greenland, which had fuelled tensions ahead of the Davos meeting. After weeks of aggressive rhetoric that unsettled NATO allies, he ruled out both military action and the use of tariffs as leverage.
He indicated that discussions were now moving toward a cooperative arrangement involving Western Arctic allies. Following a meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, Trump described the emerging understanding in expansive terms.
“It’s a deal that everybody’s very happy with,” he told reporters. “It’s a long-term deal. It’s the ultimate long-term deal. It puts everybody in a really good position, especially as it pertains to security and to minerals.” Calling it “a deal that’s forever,” Trump said negotiations between Denmark, Greenland and the United States would continue, with the aim of preventing Russia and China from gaining any economic or military foothold in Greenland.
He also announced that tariffs previously scheduled to be imposed would not go ahead, signalling a clear de-escalation in tone.
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