After broadcasting that President Trump wouldn’t hold back from his ‘America First’ posture when he addresses billionaires and world leaders at Davos, Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin said he wasn’t worried about the response.
‘We don’t have to worry about this crowd … Our objective is to be here to interact with important counterparts,’ Mnuchin told reporters Wednesday in advance of Trump’s arrival, after a number of world leaders raised concerns about what they term growing U.S. protectionism.
‘This is about an America First agenda. But America First does mean working with the rest of the world,” Mnuchin continued. ‘It just means that President Trump is looking out for American workers and American interests no different than he expects other leaders would look out for their own.’
Steven Mnuchin, United States Secretary of the Treasury, walks through the snow during the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Wednesday, Jan. 24, 2018
Mnuchin was joined at the early morning press conference by Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, who was the focus of an unflattering report claiming he falls asleep and drools in meetings.
The White House put Ross before the global media gathering in Switzerland a day after Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders expressed ‘100 per cent confidence’ in the 80 year old billionaire, following the Axios report.
‘We don’t have to worry about this crowd,’ said Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin as President Trump prepares to make his way to Davos
Ross defended recent U.S. tariff actions on solar energy products and large washing machines, and acknowledged it could bring blowback.
‘In terms of any trade action you take, there’s always potential for retribution or retaliation, and that’s up to the Chinese to decide,’ said Ross.
‘Trade wars are fought every single day,’ he continued.
‘Unfortunately, every single day there are various parties trying to violate the rules, and trying to take unfair advantage of things … the difference is that US troops are now coming to the rampart,’ Ross added.
The White House put Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross before the global media gathering in Switzerland a day after expressing ‘100 per cent confidence’ in him following a report that he sleeps in meetings
Ross also commented on a speech by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who said Canada and 10 other members revised the Trans-Pacific Partnership that the Trump administration bailed out of.
Ross said Trudeau’s speech was meant ‘to put a little pressure on the U.S. in the NAFTA talks.’
Police set up barriers during the demonstration against the US president (AP)
U.S. officials have hailed America’s commitment to free and fair trade despite possible retaliation by China over the new US import tariffs.
Trump’s visit has sparked some protests in Switzerland, with demonstrators saying he is not welcome because of his controversial tweets, his ‘America First’ stance, and trade policies which have caused controversy across the world.
IMF managing director Christine Lagarde speaks during a panel session (AP)
Mnuchin defended the U.S. trade posture as good for the world.
‘This is really about not just what’s good for the U.S., but what’s good for the rest of the world as well — given, that we are obviously one of the largest trading partners in the world, one of the largest investment opportunities in the world.
‘We are really here to talk about what we have done.’
King Felipe VI of Spain delivers a speech (AP)
The comments by the Cabinet officials were an appetiser for the main course at Davos this year: Mr Trump’s speech on Friday.
After arriving on Thursday, he will meet Prime Minister Theresa May, Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu and presidents Paul Kagame of Rwanda and Alain Berset of Switzerland.
He will also attend a reception in his honour and host a dinner for European business executives.
Ahead of his visit, European leaders are due to come out in force and are expected to bring a message to counterbalance Mr Trump’s policies.
French president Emmanuel Macron and German chancellor Angela Merkel will be the highlights at a time when Europe’s economic revival is one of the main reasons the global economy is powering ahead.
Both Mr Macron, who will make his first appearance at the Davos forum since being elected president, and Mrs Merkel will highlight how the region has turned the corner following years of crisis.
King Felipe VI of Spain is also addressing delegates.