President Donald Trump sought to sell the United States to the global business community, telling an economic conference in the Swiss Alps that America’s economic turnaround has been “nothing short of spectacular”.
Mr Trump addressed the annual World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, hours before his historic impeachment trial was to reconvene in the US Senate in Washington.
Mr Trump reminded the audience that when he spoke here two years ago, early in his presidency: “I told you that we had launched the great American comeback.”
“Today I’m proud to declare the United States is in the midst of an economic boom, the likes of which the world has never seen before,” the president said.
The two-day Swiss visit will test Mr Trump’s ability to balance his anger over being impeached with a desire to project leadership on the world stage.
Speculation had mounted that Mr Trump would cancel the trip due to the Senate trial, but aides said he remains focused on producing results for the American people.
Mr Trump, however, said he was attending the forum to encourage businesses to invest in the US.
“America is thriving. America is flourishing and yes, America is winning again like never before,” Mr Trump said before talking about a newly signed trade deal with China and a pending trade agreement with Mexico and Canada.
Mr Trump planned to meet with world leaders and business executives after the speech.
Swooping in for his second appearance at the conference, Mr Trump was set to depart on Wednesday, jetting back to Washington, which is consumed by the impeachment trial.
The Democratic-controlled House impeached the Republican president last month for abuse of power and obstruction of Congress after it was revealed that he had pressed Ukraine’s president to announce investigations into former Vice President Joe Biden, a Democrat and a Trump political rival.
Mr Trump withheld foreign aid that Congress had approved for the Eastern European nation and dangled the prospect of an Oval Office meeting as leverage.
Mr Trump denies any wrongdoing and argues that Democrats want to remove him from office because they know they cannot deny him reelection in November.
“It’s about the Economy, stupid”, except when it comes to Trump. The fact is, the Fake News Media hates talking about the Economy, and how incredible it is!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 21, 2020
Mr Trump would be forced to leave office if convicted, but the Republican-controlled Senate is expected to acquit him.
Mr Trump said he would attend the Davos forum despite the awkward timing because he wants to encourage businesses to come back to the US.
“Our country is the hottest country anywhere in the world,” he said at the White House last week.
“There’s nothing even close. I’ll be meeting the biggest business leaders in the world, getting them to come here.”
President Trump announces that the US will join the one trillion trees initiative launched at #wef20 and continue to show strong leadership in restoring, growing and better managing our forests
— World Economic Forum (@wef) January 21, 2020
The White House has not named any of the business leaders Mr Trump is set to meet with.
But he is scheduled to hold talks Tuesday and Wednesday with the leaders of Iraq, Pakistan, Switzerland and Iraq’s self-governing Kurdish region, as well as the forum’s founder, the White House said.
Mr Trump also will have his first meeting with the new European Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen, the first woman to hold the position.
That meeting could be the most significant, said analyst Matt Goodman, given Mr Trump’s many disagreements with Europe over tax and trade policy, like a new digital levy by the French that will force American tech giants such as Amazon and Google to pay up.
He predicted a difficult year ahead for US-EU relations.
Mr Trump has smarted over the French tax, and his administration has announced plans to impose retaliatory tariffs of up to 100% on cheese, wine, lipstick and other French imports.
France has threatened to fight back.
But after speaking to Mr Trump on Monday, French President Emmanuel Macron tweeted that they had a “great discussion” about the digital tax and “will work together on a good agreement to avoid tariff escalation”.
President Trump highlights the progress that has been made since he last addressed Davos – from economic growth to the signing of trade deals, including two in just the last week. He tells #wef20 he’s never been more confident in America’s future
— World Economic Forum (@wef) January 21, 2020
Mr Trump later retweeted Mr Macron, adding the word: ”Excellent!”
The US has also threatened to impose retaliatory duties on 7.5 billion US dollars worth of European planes, cheese, wine and other goods in a separate dispute over subsidies for Airbus, a competitor to Chicago-based Boeing Co.
Mr Trump has sought to wring trade concessions from the EU by threatening tariffs on German cars, including BMW and Mercedes-Benz.
Mr Johnson and Mr Clinton were acquitted by the Senate.
There is precedent for international travel by an impeached US leader.
During his impeachment over an affair with a White House intern, Mr Clinton visited Japan, South Korea, Israel and the Palestinian Authority.
He travelled to Jordan for King Hussein’s funeral in February 1999, just a few days before he was acquitted.
Two days after acquittal, Mr Clinton went to Mexico on a state visit.
Mr Trump is planning to make his first visit to India at the end of February, probably after the conclusion of his impeachment trial.
He also has talked about travelling soon to Beijing, although he has given no dates, to open a new round of trade talks with China.
