Gavin Newsom to confront Trump at Davos, will press 'democratic capitalism'

Businessinsider reports California Gov. Gavin Newsom is heading to Davos for the World Economic Forum next week and plans to call out President Donald Trump, who is also set to appear.

Newsom said in a statement Friday: "Trump's economic agenda betrays our nation: it is not 'America First' but 'Trump First' — rewarding the favored, punishing the dissenters, and burdening the rest. At the World Economic Forum, I will forcefully confront these abuses and resolutely defend the principles to which California owes its economic strength: disciplined governance, world-leading universities, boundless innovation, and an open embrace of global cultures. As Trump undermines long-standing alliances, California will remain a beacon of stability and loyalty. To remain silent in the face of such wrongdoing is not neutrality — it is complicity."

Newsom, who has been a vocal critic of Trump, plans to call out the president during public speaking events and private meetings with business and world leaders. His office said he plans to challenge CEOs and institutions it says have been complicit in Trump's efforts to erode democracy and to make the case for "democratic capitalism" as opposed to "crony capitalism." Trump is scheduled to speak at Davos on January 21; Newsom is scheduled to speak on January 22.

Key Topics

Politics, Gavin Newsom, Donald Trump, World Economic Forum, Davos, California