In remarks to attendees at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, President Trump proclaimed that “the world is witnessing the resurgence of a strong and prosperous America” that has dramatically cut taxes and eliminated burdensome regulations, and is reforming bureaucracy and ensuring its laws are enforced fairly. While acknowledging his “America First” stance, the president stated that this does not mean “America alone.” Instead, he indicated that “when the United States grows, so does the world. American prosperity has created countless jobs all around the globe, and the drive for excellence, creativity, and innovation in the U.S. has led to important discoveries that help people everywhere live more prosperous and far healthier lives.”
Regarding international trade, the president stated that his administration will continue to work to reform the system “so that it promotes broadly shared prosperity and rewards to those who play by the rules. We cannot have free and open trade if some countries exploit the system at the expense of others. We support free trade, but it needs to be fair and it needs to be reciprocal. Because, in the end, unfair trade undermines us all.” He stressed that the United States “will no longer turn a blind eye to unfair economic practices, including massive intellectual property theft, industrial subsidies, and pervasive state-led economic planning. These and other predatory behaviors are distorting the global markets and harming businesses and workers, not just in the U.S., but around the globe.” He concluded his remarks on trade by reiterating that the United States “will enforce our trade laws and restore integrity to our trading system. Only by insisting on fair and reciprocal trade can we create a system that works not just for the U.S. but for all nations.”