Former US Ambassador to Poland: After Trump's speech in Davos, Europeans are scared and angry

Speech by the President of the United States Donald Trump at the World Economic Forum in Davos, during which he criticized the European economy and called the continent "problematic," caused outrage among European leaders. This was stated in a commentary for text LIGA.net said Daniel Fried, former U.S. Ambassador to Poland, former coordinator of sanctions policy at the U.S. State Department, senior fellow at the Atlantic Council.

He stated that Europeans are "deeply shocked, horrified and very angry."

"I've talked to people from Davos, and they say that Europe's anger runs very deep," Fried said.

From the stage, the American president said that Europe "has chosen the wrong path of development" and has become a "hotbed of problems" over the past decade. He emphasized excessive government spending, mass migration, and a decline in foreign direct investment.

In addition, Trump criticized European energy policy, calling the transition to renewable sources a "new green scam" that destroys industrial potential.

In his opinion, the replacement of the indigenous population with migrants not only blurs the identity of the West, but also undermines its economic foundation.

In his speech, Trump assured that the US desire to gain control of Greenland is driven by geopolitical strategy, not by a desire to extract minerals, and called the island "a big chunk of ice."

• on January 21, 2026, Trump spoke at a forum in Davos: the main theses are here.
• After U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Luthnick began to harshly criticize Europe, European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde went from a private invitation-only event in Davos.