Former US President Donald Trump delivered a contentious speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, on Wednesday, 3 January 2026, marked by inflammatory remarks targeting Somali Americans and European leaders. Speaking from his Mar-a-Lago residence in Palm Beach, Florida, following recent US military actions in Venezuela, Trump's address was closely observed by his deputy chief of staff, Stephen Miller, whose ideological imprint was evident throughout the proceedings.
A Rhetorical Assault on Allies and Immigrants
Trump's appearance in Davos was characterised by a series of personal insults and broader cultural critiques. He mocked French President Emmanuel Macron's choice of aviator sunglasses, rebuked former Bank of England governor Mark Carney by asserting that "Canada lives because of the United States", and claimed that Swiss prosperity is solely attributable to American influence. Additionally, he derided Denmark for its historical loss of Greenland during the Second World War, framing it as a swift defeat.
Beyond these fractious exchanges, however, lay a more insidious narrative. Trump positioned himself as a unifying force for Western civilisation, advocating for a collective defence against perceived external threats. He emphasised his European ancestry, stating, "I am derived from Europe", and lamented that "certain places in Europe are not even recognisable, frankly, any more", attributing this change to "unchecked mass migration".
Racist Undertones and Targeted Communities
The speech took a distinctly racist turn as Trump focused on immigration, particularly targeting the Somali community in the United States. He referenced government fraud cases in Minnesota, where a majority of defendants had Somali roots, to justify a crackdown, claiming, "We're cracking down on more than $19bn in fraud that was stolen by Somalian bandits." In a derogatory aside, he questioned the intelligence of Somalis, stating, "I always say these are low-IQ people. How did they go into Minnesota and steal all that money?"
Trump further argued that the West should not "mass import foreign cultures which have failed to ever build a successful society of their own", explicitly citing Somalia as a "failed" nation lacking government or police structures. This was followed by a bitter tirade against Ilhan Omar, a Somali-born Democratic congresswoman and US citizen, reinforcing his anti-immigrant stance.
The Miller Influence: White Identity Politics in Action
Analysts noted that Trump's speech bore the unmistakable fingerprints of Stephen Miller, the White House deputy chief of staff and architect of the administration's draconian immigration policies. Miller's worldview, which promotes racist fears of demographic replacement and civilisational decline, was reflected in Trump's call to "defend that culture and rediscover the spirit that lifted the west from the depths of the dark ages to the pinnacle of human achievement."
This aligns with the "great replacement" theory, a conspiratorial notion popular on the US right that suggests demographic changes are engineered to replace white majorities with non-white populations. Trump's past actions, such as granting asylum to white South Africans based on claims of a fictitious "white genocide", and the aggressive tactics of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in cities like Minneapolis, further exemplify this ideology.
Miller's Ideological Footprint
Stephen Miller has long been a proponent of white identity politics, often framing immigration as a threat to Western heritage. In a speech at right-wing activist Charlie Kirk's funeral last year, Miller invoked classical civilisations, stating, "Our lineage and our legacy hails back to Athens, to Rome, to Philadelphia, to Monticello. Our ancestors built the cities. They produced the art and architecture. They built the industry."
His social media activity reinforces this perspective. For instance, after watching a 1967 TV show featuring Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra, Miller tweeted, "Imagine watching that and thinking America needed infinity migrants from the third world," ignoring that both entertainers were sons of immigrants. This viewpoint has found amplification in figures like Elon Musk, who has endorsed posts warning of white civilisation under siege, such as one declaring, "If white men become a minority, we will be slaughtered."
Strategic Messaging for Domestic Audiences
While Trump's speech was delivered to wealthy elites in Davos, its primary target was his base back in the United States. Amid concerns from far-right allies that he has become distracted by global conflicts, such as those in Iran and Venezuela, this address served to reaffirm his commitment to "America first" and white identity politics. The underlying message was clear: Trump positions himself as the "great white hope", defending Western culture against perceived barbarian hordes.
This performance underscores the enduring influence of Stephen Miller within Trump's inner circle, transforming casual rhetoric into a structured ideology that resonates with segments of the American right. As debates over immigration and identity continue to shape US politics, such speeches highlight the deep divisions and controversial strategies at play.
