DAVOS, Switzerland — There were grave warnings from European leaders and expletives from California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Tuesday as leaders at the World Economic Forum grappled with the Greenland crisis and heightened concerns over global trade.
The gathering in Davos, Switzerland, comes as U.S. President Donald Trump continues to push for the seizure of Greenland and the imposition of related trade tariffs.
French President Emmanuel Macron, wearing aviator sunglasses because of an eye infection, warned of a ''new colonial approach'' that would undermine decades of collaboration.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said a diplomatic ''downward spiral'' would only embolden the West's adversaries.
And in the forum's entrance hall, Newsom was the most blunt, telling European leaders: ''It's time to get serious and stop being complicit. It's time to stand tall and firm – have a backbone.''
Here's a look at what attendees said:
Gavin Newsom
''I can't take this complicity. People rolling over. I should've brought a bunch of knee pads for all the world leaders,'' the California governor and prominent Democrat said. ''I hope people understand how pathetic they look on the world stage. I mean, at least from an American perspective, it's embarrassing.'' He added: ''Diplomacy with Donald Trump? He's a T-Rex. You mate with him or he devours you. One or the other ... Wake up! Where the hell has everybody been? Stop with this (expletive) diplomacy of sort of niceties and somehow we're all going to figure it out, saying one thing privately and another publicly. Have some spine, some goddamn (expletive).''
