Irish Examiner view: No force, all farce from Trump in Davos
US president Donald Trump speaks during the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, on Wednesday. Picture: Markus Schreiber
Donald Trump’s speech on Wednesday at Davos was keenly anticipated, though the sense of anticipation was no doubt heightened by news of a false start for his transatlantic flight earlier in the day.
The US president’s plane had to return to America one hour into its flight due to an electrical fault.
When he did make it to the World Economic Forum in the Swiss city, his speech was characteristic, blending bluster and criticism with threats — some veiled, some overt.
Mr Trump painted America as the economic engine of the world economy, saying: “Without us, most of the countries don’t even work”, for instance, while he also shared a meandering anecdote about watch sales in the US.
For many observers, Mr Trump’s comments on Greenland were of particular interest.
He has spoken openly of his wish to take over the island, leading to strong criticism from Europe, and on Wednesday he reiterated his stance.
He said that only the US could secure Greenland’s safety and was “seeking immediate negotiations to seek the acquisition of Greenland for the US” — but he also ruled out the use of force.
“We probably won’t get anything unless I decide to use excessive strength and force where we would be, frankly, unstoppable,” said Mr Trump.
“But I won’t do that ... I don’t have to use force. I don’t want to use force. I won’t use force.”
It seems extraordinary that many will feel relieved because the US president said that he would not use force to take over Greenland, but such is the world in 2026.
The chairman of the defence committee in Denmark’s parliament summed up the general reaction when he said: “I think we’ve heard a lot worse. I’m glad he’s ruling out military force.”
That was probably the key part of the speech, which touched upon many other topics along the way.
At one stage, Mr Trump said: “I don’t want to insult anyone”, with reports that at least one member of the audience laughed.
It will hardly be the last time the president’s comments will edge into gallows humour.
The blustery weather of late has marred many a work or school commute, but there may be an unexpected dividend to the gusts and gales which often buffet our island.
The Wind Energy Ireland annual conference in Dublin heard arguments this week that Ireland has world-class wind resources at its disposal, which could be deployed at scale to help us achieve energy independence and drive sustainable economic growth.
Our ambition should be to make Ireland an “electrostate” by 2030 which, according to Wind Energy Ireland chief executive Noel Cunniffe, would make for cleaner air, warmer homes, cheaper costs, better future-proofing, and “infrastructure that is built to last, not short-term fixes”.
This is an ambitious suggestion, but should be taken seriously for a number of reasons.
One, the benefits outlined at the conference are so far-ranging that any plan which could produce such results is worth considering.
Second, the narrative about climate change is so unrelentingly negative that it is sometimes understandable if despair becomes a default response.
We hear about the inexorable deterioration of the planet so often that one could almost be forgiven for throwing one’s hands up at the sheer size of the challenge.
But this plan represents a way forward that is ambitious but achievable, a much-needed positive possibility.
Third, Mr Cunniffe’s reference to short-term fixes should be considered in the light of another announcement this week.
The Government is to proceed with plans to boost data centre growth, even though such centres already account for a large amount of Ireland’s energy output.
Some sources estimate that data centres will account for 30% of all national use by 2030.
The coincidence of that date, both as a peak for data centre energy demands and as a deadline for Ireland becoming an “electrostate”, is striking.
If the latter aspiration comes true, that could be a vital step in meeting those energy demands.
Whether data centres could be so dominant as to swallow up one third of our energy, however, is far less encouraging.
Many readers will be aware of the breakout TV hit , if they are not already confirmed fans of the series.
The show is based on a novel of the same name in the series, a popular novel sequence by Rachel Reid.
What makes Game Changers and Heated Rivalry different is the gay romance element, which is played out in an unexpected setting — competitive ice hockey.
The two lead actors in the series, Cameron Storrie and Hudson Williams, have become stars overnight, causing a huge stir when they presented awards at the recent Golden Globes.
Williams has also revealed that some closeted sportspeople have contacted him to share their appreciation of the show.
The popularity of with a variety of audiences is noticeable.
Which Irish sport will be the first to feature in a -type series in order to capture those audiences?
Only time will tell.
Check out the Irish Examiner's WEATHER CENTRE for regularly updated short and long range forecasts wherever you are.
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
