The Alpine resort of Davos braces for a clash of ideologies as the World Economic Forum's 2026 meeting opens under the strained theme of "A Spirit of Dialogue." The gathering of global elites faces its most profound test yet, with former US President Donald Trump arriving at the helm of the largest American delegation in the event's history, just as the post-war international order unravels at breakneck speed.
A Delegation of Disruption Arrives in the Alps
President Trump will touch down in Switzerland accompanied by an unprecedented contingent of senior US officials. The delegation includes Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff. Their presence underscores a year in which Trump has fundamentally challenged multilateral norms, from threatening across-the-board tariffs and demanding immediate interest rate cuts to urging NATO allies to drastically increase defence spending.
This year's forum convenes against extraordinary geopolitical tumult. War continues to rage in Ukraine, with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy attending to rally sustained support. Days before Davos, Trump suggested Ukraine was "more reluctant to see peace than Russia," highlighting the deep fissures in the transatlantic response to the conflict. A pre-forum survey of over 1,300 leaders identified "geoeconomic confrontation" as the top global risk, followed closely by the threat of outright war between nations.
The Fightback for a Fraying System
With the rules-based system jeopardised by Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the rising influence of autocratic regimes, a counter-movement is emerging. Leaders including NATO chief Mark Rutte, French President Emmanuel Macron, and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will be in Davos to argue for free trade, transatlantic cooperation, and a staunch defence of Ukraine.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres, also attending, issued a stark warning ahead of the summit. "When leaders run roughshod over international law – when they pick and choose which rules to follow – they are not only undermining global order, they are setting a perilous precedent," he stated. While conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East have raised acute concerns, many diplomats believe US behaviour has brought the postwar order closest to the brink.
Recent aggressive US actions, including sending troops into Venezuela and threatening Iran, have prompted quiet concern among senior diplomats that they may spur global resistance. Meanwhile, global military spending has soared to $2.7 trillion annually, a 9.4% rise marking the steepest increase since the Cold War's end.
Davos in a New Era: Schwab's Absence and Fading Optimism
The 2026 meeting marks the dawn of a new chapter for the WEF, being the first without its founder, Klaus Schwab. The 87-year-old "Mr Davos" stepped down from the board last year following allegations of unauthorised spending, which he contested. An investigation cleared him of "material wrongdoing," citing "minor irregularities." He is not expected at this year's event but is releasing a new book, Restoring Truth and Trust, to coincide with it.
Critics argue the forum has lost its way. Danny Sriskandarajah of the New Economics Foundation, a former Young Global Leader, believes the WEF is now "a relic of the past" and lacks legitimacy in a world where the rules-based order has collapsed. The forum's peak influence, exemplified by the 2005 launch of Make Poverty History or the creation of the Gavi vaccine alliance, feels distant. Jamie Drummond, co-founder of the ONE Campaign, acknowledges, "This is not Davos’s heyday, it is on the decline – but it’s not dead yet."
Yet, the pulling power remains undimmed. Over 60 heads of state or government, 55 finance ministers, and 800 corporate chiefs are expected. Corporate titans like Nvidia's Jensen Huang and Microsoft's Satya Nadella will showcase AI advances, while companies pay 27,000 Swiss francs per delegate to attend. The environmental cost is also rising; private jet flights to the event more than tripled between 2023 and 2025.
WEF President Børge Brende remains hopeful, noting Trump's delegation is "very much into deal making." But he concedes the summit faces "the most complicated geopolitical backdrop since the WEF was founded" in 1971. As the global elite stomp through Davos in ski boots, the world watches to see if any spirit of dialogue can survive the profound forces now tearing at the international system.
