World Economic Forum President Børge Brende said Thursday he will step down from the organization, citing “distractions” stemming from his past ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. 
Brende’s resignation follows the release of Justice Department emails that shed light on his relationship with Epstein, prompting an internal inquiry by the WEF. 
“After careful consideration, I have decided to step down as President and CEO of the World Economic Forum. My time here, spanning 8½ years, has been profoundly rewarding,” Brende said. “I am grateful for the incredible collaboration with my colleagues, partners, and constituents, and I believe now is the right moment for the Forum to continue its important work without distractions.”
In a statement, WEF Board of Trustees co-chairs André Hoffmann and Larry Fink thanked Brende for his service and said that the inquiry found “no additional concerns beyond what has been previously disclosed.” Board member Alois Zwinggi will serve as interim president while the search for a replacement is conducted.
In 2018 and 2019, Brende had three dinners with Epstein, roughly a decade after Epstein&#8217;s 2008 conviction for solicitation of prostitution from a minor. Brende claimed he did not know about Epstein’s criminal past at the time. 
&#8220;I was completely unaware of ​Epstein&#8217;s past and criminal activities,&#8221; Brende said earlier this month. “Had I known about his background, I would have declined the initial invitation to join [former Norwegian Deputy Prime Minister Terje Rod-Larsen] and any subsequent dinner invitations ⁠or other communications.”
Brende previously served as Norway&#8217;s minister of foreign affairs. 
Emails released by the Justice Department appear to show Brende referring to Epstein as his “friend” and arranging a dinner at the convicted sex offender’s Manhattan home. The correspondence also indicates that the two discussed how the World Economic Forum could one day replace the United Nations. 
In a September 16, 2018, email, Epstein wrote to a person identified as Brende, “davos [sic] can really replace the UN. cyber, crypto. genetics&#8230; Intl coordination. like my stint at the trilateral. issues now need to deal with the distributed trust. and intemet [sic] fallout.”
The message appears to reference the World Economic Forum&#8217;s annual meeting in Davos.
Brende <a href="https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%2011/EFTA02622851.pdf">replied</a>, “Exactly &#8211; we need a new global architecture. World Economic Forum (Davos) is uniquely positioned &#8211;public private,&#8221; according to an email released by the Justice Department. 
A September 21, 2018, <a href="https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%209/EFTA00481813.pdf">email</a> appears to confirm a dinner between Epstein, Brende, and leftist journalist Michael Wolff. In a separate message around the same time, Brende appears to confirm the dinner with Epstein’s assistant. 
“I&#8217;m already looking forward,” Brende <a href="https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%209/EFTA00481835.pdf">wrote</a> on September 21, 2018. In response, Epstein’s assistant wrote, “He looks forward to seeing you!”
In a separate <a href="https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%209/EFTA01022370.pdf">email</a> on that same day, Brende told Epstein he was “looking forward” to the dinner and referred to him as “my friend.” 
In March 2019, Brende <a href="https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%2011/EFTA02636878.pdf">wrote</a> to Epstein, “Best regards from Moscow and Riyadh&#8230;.” 
A June 2019 email shows the two <a href="https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%2011/EFTA02290348.pdf">setting up</a> another dinner at Epstein’s Manhattan home. 
The Justice Department&#8217;s release of the Epstein files has had international repercussions, including arrests in the United Kingdom of former Prince Andrew and former U.S. Ambassador Peter Mandelson, both of whom have been accused of sharing confidential information with Epstein.

Day Three Of World Economic Forum (WEF) 2026

World Economic Forum Prez Calls It Quits Over Epstein File ‘Distractions’

Epstein Files

Jeffrey Epstein

justice department

Norway

World Economic Forum

In a tense confrontation reminiscent of the Cuban Missile Crisis, except without Cuba or the missiles or, really, the crisis, the United States has narrowly avoided a harrowing war with Denmark.
The crisis or whatever began when Donald Trump demanded Denmark hand Greenland over to the United States and issued a saber-rattling threat in which the sabers were made entirely of Legos just to add insult to injury. Trump said: “Since you lousy Danes have repeatedly refused to give me the Nobel Peace Prize, I see no reason why I should continue to be peaceful if I don’t get a prize for it. And the Nobel Prize I received from that kooky Venezuelan dame with a name like a Spanish dance number doesn’t count, because people just laugh when they see it, so I’m sending it back and taking Greenland instead.”
When Secretary of State Marco Rubio explained that the Nobel Peace Prize is given in Norway not Denmark, Trump became so enraged he appointed Rubio the King of France so he’d have his head cut off. When he found out the French no longer cut people’s heads off, he appointed Rubio the first lady of France and leaked the news to Candace Owens.
Panicked by the threat of invasion, the Danish Prime Minister whose name no one can pronounce and who might even be a chick for all I know, ordered four brigades of the 101st Hans Christian Andersen Division to sail to Greenland on one of those cute little sailboats like the one in &#8220;The Little Mermaid.&#8221; This increased the tension because, despite its small size, the Danish military is renowned for its tough training, though it’s mostly in folk dancing.
Meanwhile, the administration got to work preparing for war by testing out various battle cries like, “Damn you Danes, no one can even understand what you’re saying!” and “Give us Greenland, Denmark, and none of your stinking Danish tricks!” and “In America, we eat Danish for breakfast, so ha ha ha!”
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/episode/ep-1263-the-andrew-klavan-show-member-exclusive?contentProgram=The%20Andrew%20Klavan%20Show&amp;contentType=ShowEpisode&amp;elementPosition=2&amp;location=Home%20Tab&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Home%20Featured%20Carousel"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-large wp-image-974735 aligncenter" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Klavan-watch-now-1024x171.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="171" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Klavan-watch-now-1024x171.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Klavan-watch-now-300x50.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Klavan-watch-now-768x128.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Klavan-watch-now-1536x256.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Klavan-watch-now.jpg 1800w" sizes=" (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></a>
The administration even prepared a new aggressive Greenland national anthem more suitable for an American colony, with rousing lyrics like, “Oh Greenland, it’s the nicest place you’ve ever seen-land, Where no one’s a wimp, and we’re proud of our shrimp. Oh, Greenland, our home sweet home.”
The news of the impending American attack so upset global elites at their annual gathering in Davos, Switzerland, that they were forced to suspend their usual business of trying to impose obnoxious, useless, and oppressive ideas on people who’d rather pinch their elite noses and twist them like Moe used to do to the other two Stooges than listen to a word these privileged melon-heads have to say. Instead, European leaders and other obscure non-entities took to the stage to make angry speeches as a way of passing their last remaining moments in power before they’re tossed onto the dustbin of history.
The prime minister of Canada, for instance — and I can’t bother to find out his name so just make one up yourself — told the gathering, “There has been such a rupture in the world order that we’re barely able to debank the working class citizens who protest our policies, or arrest anyone who uses Grok to make hilarious pictures of us naked or persecute the saints who pray silently near abortion clinics. If Donald Trump does not restore this world order immediately, Europe will be forced to ally itself with China. After all, China’s a one-party nation with no free speech and a small minority of white people, so it’s basically a European nation already.”
Donald Trump conceded the Canadian’s point and issued a new statement saying, “I war on Denmark declare,” but then found out it was the WORLD order the Canadian premier was complaining about not the WORD ORDER, and Trump issued another declaration, saying, “Oh, it screw.”
As the hour of decision drew ever closer, audiences around the world sat tensely before their televisions, mostly watching &#8220;What’s in the Box?&#8221; Fortunately, at the last minute, Trump decided to make a deal when he realized a war with Denmark might last longer than he thought and interrupt a full half of the AFC Championship game, instead of just the first ten minutes.
* * *
This excerpt is taken from the opening satirical monologue of “<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/show/the-andrew-klavan-show" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Andrew Klavan Show</a>.”
Andrew Klavan is the host of “The Andrew Klavan Show” at The Daily Wire. Klavan is the bestselling author of numerous books, including the Cameron Winter Mystery series. The fifth installment, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/After-That-Cameron-Winter-Mysteries/dp/1613166869/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3EGZUC370LG46&amp;dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.Y_NI0mDOKeowShheDQTVx5NH-fAeimJoCD56_T0Acpl8C0mup7uJf-nGGSRLEItaaekoDnvS2vWLMa4Zd2UBXQ8Y-g-P502jOWz-Y8IX3ZQsdlO7WMLrg1xIhNoKmjCorSWUR4C2l_RbiZ7apJ1MfPzGOrrEf7AdAXX6xwnJRVP_XqUfWuMuVthTWscaU3P4vgmS86-96n-721enHfX12CFQWTajqFbVnrsDkexfUf4.6_gTH6h1Bb9Pn375QdF_VAVZSayDvjQBBKGXE-MTiFo&amp;dib_tag=se&amp;keywords=klavan&amp;qid=1754049918&amp;sprefix=%2Caps%2C80&amp;sr=8-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">After That, The Dark,</a> is NOW AVAILABLE. Follow him on X: <a href="https://x.com/andrewklavan" target="_blank" rel="noopener">@andrewklavan</a>.
The views expressed in this satirical piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

U.S. President Trump Attends World Economic Forum In Davos

How The United States Narrowly Avoided A Harrowing War With Denmark

Andrew Klavan

Denmark

Donald Trump

Greenland

Humor

Satire

Opening Day Of World Economic Forum (WEF) 2026

The WEF Made One Thing Very Clear: If Democrats Win We Are Totally Screwed

Canada

Europe

European Union

Globalization

Leftists

Mark Carney

Matt Walsh

NATO

Opinion

Switzerland

President Donald Trump on Thursday night rescinded his invitation to Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney to join his Gaza &#8220;Board of Peace.&#8221;
Trump wrote on <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/115941901312153410">Truth Social</a>, “Dear Prime Minister Carney: Please let this Letter serve to represent that the Board of Peace is withdrawing its invitation to you regarding Canada’s joining, what will be, the most prestigious Board of Leaders ever assembled, at any time.”
Trump’s reversal followed Carney’s speech on Tuesday at the World Economic Forum summit in Davos, where he argued that the post–World War II U.S.-led “rules-based international order” is in rupture, not merely in transition, due to rising great-power rivalries and coercive economic policies.
Carney had <a href="https://globalnews.ca/news/11620877/carney-davos-wef-speech-transcript/?utm_source=chatgpt.com">stated</a>:
<blockquote>
It seems that every day we’re reminded that we live in an era of great power rivalry — that the rules-based order is fading, that the strong can do what they can, and the weak must suffer what they must.
For decades, countries like Canada prospered under what we called the rules-based international order. We joined its institutions, we praised its principles, we benefited from its predictability. And because of that, we could pursue values-based foreign policies under its protection. 
We knew the story of the international rules-based order was partially false, that the strongest would exempt themselves when convenient, that trade rules were enforced asymmetrically, and we knew that international law applied with varied rigor, depending on the identity of the accused or the victim.
This fiction was useful, and American hegemony in particular helped provide public goods, open sea lanes, a stable financial system, collective security and support for frameworks for resolving disputes&#8230;.
This bargain no longer works.
Let me be direct. We are in the midst of a rupture, not a transition. 
The question for middle powers like Canada is not whether to adapt to the new reality — we must. &#8230;What does it mean for middle powers to live the truth? First, it means naming reality. Stop invoking rules-based international order as though it still functions as advertised. Call it what it is: a system of intensifying great power rivalry where the most powerful pursue their interests using economic integration as coercion.
&#8230;We know the old order is not coming back. We shouldn’t mourn it. &#8230;
</blockquote>
Trump fired back at Carney, declaring, “Canada — look, Canada gets a lot of freebies from us. They should be grateful. I watched your prime minister yesterday — he wasn’t so grateful. But they should be grateful to us. Canada lives because of the United States — remember that, Mark, the next time you make your statements.”

MixCollage-23-Jan-2026-07-46-AM-2915

Trump Uninvites Canada From His Gaza ‘Board Of Peace’ After Davos Drama

Trump Uninvites Canada To Join His Gaza 'Board Of Peace' After Davos Drama

Davos

The following is an edited transcript excerpt from <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/episode/ep-1896-president-trump-goes-scorched-earth-in-davos?elementPosition=1&amp;row=0&amp;rowHeadline=Recent+Episodes&amp;rowType=Horizontal+Show+Episodes+Carousel">The Michael Knowles Show</a>.
* * *
The United States is the big dog and President Trump doesn’t want anyone to forget it. Not the Europeans and not the Canadians, the &#8220;snow Mexicans&#8221; who live in America’s evil top hat up north.
<iframe loading="lazy" title="&#039;Canada lives because of the United States - remember that&#039;: Trump takes aim at Carney’s WEF speech" width="422" height="750" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/B57Oi_hJ7Cw?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Credit: @CTVNews/YouTube.com
I love this moment. Trump does sound a little tired. You can hear it. And honestly, that makes sense. The guy basically pulled an all-nighter, flew straight over to Davos, Switzerland, bouncing from country to country in a nonstop whirlwind. And even then, he still seemed more energetic than most of the other zombies wandering around Davos.
I love the slight lethargy in his voice because it makes him sound like Don Corleone:
You should be grateful. We never ask anything of you. You come here on the day my daughter is to be married, and you don’t even have the courtesy to call me godfather. You’ll remember I’ve been very good to you. I cannot grant your request. You tell me not to take Greenland? That I cannot do.
I love this not just because I’m a descendant of the Mezzogiorno in America, but because it’s reality. This is how the world actually works. Not the fake world of the World Economic Forum, not the fantasy land of the United Nations, not the imaginary liberal international system built on polite lies and hollow pretenses.
One of the biggest lies is that every country is basically equal. That we’re all the same.
That has never been true. The world has never operated that way. It’s a fiction. A noble lie, but still a lie.
<h3><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/episode/ep-1896-president-trump-goes-scorched-earth-in-davos?elementPosition=1&amp;row=0&amp;rowHeadline=Recent+Episodes&amp;rowType=Horizontal+Show+Episodes+Carousel">WATCH: The Michael Knowles Show</a></h3>
Trump is reminding people of the truth. And while people like me might describe him as talking like a mafioso, like Don Corleone, even that’s not quite right. He’s speaking like an emperor. More precisely, he’s speaking like the leader of a great power, which we are.
And that’s a good thing because it is reality.
Politics works better when you acknowledge reality, even when that reality is uncomfortable. Even when it offends your ideology, whether you’re on the Left or the Right. Especially when it offends your ideology.
There are disparities in power between nations. Great nations pursue their interests. The Left hates admitting that. But it’s true.
There’s also another reality people don’t like admitting: you can’t have unlimited inequality in a democratic nation and expect stability. The palace is never safe when the cottage is unhappy. That reality offends libertarians and free-market ideologues on the Right, but it’s still reality.
And if you don’t deal with reality, you don’t flourish. You get revolutions. You get revolts. You get collapse.
And reality doesn’t care whether you like it or not.

Trump Smacks Down Canada

Godfather

Michael Knowles

Argentinian President Javier Milei, speaking at the World Economic Forum summit in Davos, invoked the Bible to inspire his audience to return to the values that made the West great.
“I am here before you to state categorically that Machiavelli has been dead for years,” Milei began. “Our thinking has been distorted by a false dilemma in the design of public policy, one that claims we must choose between political efficiency and respect for the ethical and moral values of the West.”
“As Professor Jesús Huerta de Soto explains in his work on dynamic efficiency, from this perspective, efficiency is not compatible with multiple schemes of equity or justice; rather, it arises exclusively from one: respect for private property and the entrepreneurial function,” he stated. “Therefore, the opposition between efficiency and justice is false and mistaken. What is just cannot be inefficient, and what is efficient cannot be unjust. From the standpoint of dynamic analysis, justice and efficiency are two sides of the same coin.”
Referring to the economist Murray Rothbard, who established the connection between the dynamic conception of economic efficiency and ethics, Milei declared, “Only the ethical principles underlying Western culture can serve as a criterion of efficiency when making public policy decisions. Put bluntly, when designing public policy, it is ethically and morally inadmissible to sacrifice justice on the altar of efficiency. This commitment to values stands above economic efficiency and far above political utilitarianism. When ethical and moral values are abandoned, policies become not only unjust, but also lead to collapse — not only economic collapse, but social collapse as well, to the point of threatening Western civilization itself.”
“We must never forget Thomas Sowell’s words about socialism: it sounds wonderful, but the catch is that it always ends badly — horribly badly,” he warned. “Beyond the repeated disasters of socialism in the twentieth century, we see today the aberrant damage caused in Venezuela — not only an 80% collapse in GDP, but worse still, the establishment of a bloody narco-dictatorship whose terrorist tentacles spread throughout the American continent.”
“Today more than ever, faced with the ethical and moral degradation of the West resulting from the embrace of a new socialist agenda, it is necessary to reclaim and assert the ideas of liberty. However, unlike past approaches based on utilitarianism, the defense of free-enterprise capitalism must today be grounded in its ethical and moral virtue,” he asserted. “If we want to emerge from our dark present, we must return to Greek philosophy, embrace Roman law, and restore Judeo-Christian values — the foundations that can save the West.”
“Many human conflicts arise from a failed relationship between natural law and positive law,” he continued. “Natural law governs human beings because it aligns with their nature and is therefore universally just. It is common to all humanity, intrinsic, immutable, and unchangeable. Positive law, by contrast, is written by humans for their convenience. When positive law aligns with natural law, there is justice; otherwise, it may be legal, but not legitimate. Private property ensures maximal productive effort. Protecting physical integrity rather than value ensures continual productive improvement. Any deviation reduces productive effort.”
“Regulation kills increasing returns and thus kills growth,” he stated. “This logic applies equally to artificial intelligence, which is the 21st-century equivalent of Adam Smith’s pin factory. States should stop harassing those building a better world. Dystopian fears are nonsense. Market size and real resources limit expansion. Human capital remains vital.&#8221;
“Public policy must be guided by ethics, not utilitarianism, which always leads to injustice, populism, and poverty. Machiavelli is dead. It is time to bury him,” he said. “Free markets make us better people. They allow us to prosper, defend property, preserve peace, achieve social harmony, and strengthen the virtues essential to a prosperous society.”
Then he turned to the Bible:
<blockquote>I will close with a reflection from this week’s Torah portion. The parasha Bo describes the moment when Moses confronts Pharaoh, the symbol of the oppressive power of the state, to warn him that if he did not free the Hebrew people, the last three plagues would fall upon Egypt. When the Pharaoh refused, the plague of locusts arrived, which signifies famine. Then came the plague of darkness, which means the loss of clarity for decision-making. Finally, the plague of death of the first-born, which reveals the fate of a society that denies freedom. The analogy with what is happening today in the West is extremely clear.
The West turned its back on liberty, embraced socialism in its most hypocritical form — wokeism — and put itself in danger.
But 2026 brings good news. The world is awakening. America is experiencing a rebirth of liberty and will once again be the beacon that reignites the West.
We have a better future — if we return to the roots of the West: the ideas of liberty.
May God bless the West. 
May the forces of heaven be with us. 
Long live liberty.
</blockquote>

SWITZERLAND-POLITICS-ECONOMY-DIPLOMACY

Milei Quotes The Bible At Davos: Liberty, Faith, And The Moral Case For Capitalism

Argentina

Bible

Global Politics

Javier Milei

World

Sports analyst Stephen A. Smith, whose blunt declarative side has manifested in criticism of political figures, blasted California Democrat Gov. Gavin Newsom for criticizing President Donald Trump at the World Economic Forum summit in Davos, Switzerland.
Newsom sharply criticized Trump, dismissing Trump’s address as “boring,” “insignificant,” and largely empty rhetoric, particularly on Greenland. He argued the United States was operating under the “rule of Don” rather than the rule of law, claiming democratic norms had eroded. Newsom urged global leaders to stop being “complicit,” mocking their deference as “pathetic.” He also attacked Trump’s tariffs as harmful, criticized weakened institutional pushback, and positioned California as a counterweight on climate and clean energy policy.
“Gavin Newsom, respectfully, what are you doing?” Smith asked rhetorically. “You’re the governor of the state of California in the United States of America. Why are you over in Davos, Switzerland, talking to folks and speaking negatively about the president of the United States?”
“I have no problem with Gavin Newsom being candid and open about his feelings about our president on United States soil,” he continued. “To go over to another country, Switzerland; to go over there and to be in the presence of other European leaders speaking against the president of the United States, I’m not down with that. Y’all might be; I’m not down with that — at all.”
“Say whatever you want here, as a governor from the opposite of the aisle of a state in the United States on American soil, fine,” he declared. “But I’m one of those people, when we go somewhere else, it’s America first. Our problems are our problems. But we ain’t taking dirty laundry outside. &#8230; You don’t go on a world stage to disrespect your own house, which is the United States of America. I don’t like that at all, not even a little bit.”
“Now, I know that sounds juvenile,” he said. “I get that. Very simplistic in the eyes of a lot of people, but some things are worthy of being simple. I understand you trolling Trump. I understand that you&#8217;re aiming to run for the presidency in 2028. But we got problems here in the United States. And don&#8217;t tell me they don&#8217;t exist in California. But specifically when it pertains to sanctuary city, sanctuary state, border issues, safety in the streets, and I&#8217;ll be damned if affordability ain&#8217;t at the top of the list in the state of California. It&#8217;s expensive as hell. And a lot of it has happened on Gavin Newsom&#8217;s watch.”
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Stephen A. Smith

Stephen A. Smith Unloads On Newsom: Don’t Trash America On A World Stage

Gavin Newsom

President Donald Trump puts Greenland center stage at Davos, veteran sports reporter Michele Tafoya jumps into the Minnesota Senate race, and former special counsel Jack Smith testifies in Congress.
It’s Thursday, January 22, 2026, and this is the news you need to know to start your day. Today’s edition of the Morning Wire podcast can be heard below:
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<h2 style="text-align: center;">Trump At Davos Strikes A Deal On Greenland</h2>
President Trump <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/live-updates-trump-addresses-world-economic-forum-in-davos" target="_blank" rel="noopener">gave</a> a highly anticipated speech on Wednesday at the World Economic Forum, slamming European leaders and reiterating his desire to acquire Greenland, which he now says he has a framework agreement on. Before Trump’s arrival in Switzerland, European leaders had banded together, offering a unified front against the United States, and Trump came out swinging, essentially telling members they need the United States a lot more than America needs Europe. The World Economic Forum is typically a venue for heads of state to discuss global cooperation and to push for policies they say will offer equal benefit to every nation. But in a wide-ranging 90-minute speech and Q&amp;A session, the president reiterated what he has been saying for years on the campaign trail and from the Bully Pulpit: his number one priority is benefiting the American people, not the global order.
<h2 style="text-align: center;">Michele Tafoya On The Mess In Minnesota</h2>
The investigations into officials in Minnesota have shaken the state – and shaken up its topline political races. Amid the turmoil, popular political commentator and former NFL reporter Michele Tafoya is <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/former-nfl-reporter-michele-tafoya-announces-enters-minnesota-senate-race" target="_blank" rel="noopener">jumping</a> into the race for the Senate as a Republican candidate. Tafoya said she was inspired to jump into politics in part because of a “crisis of leadership” in the state. The former sideline reporter is running to replace retiring Democratic Senator Tina Smith. Despite the open seat, Tafoya faces a challenging campaign ahead in a state that has not been represented in the U.S. Senate by a Republican in 20 years.
<h2 style="text-align: center;">Mr. Jack Smith Goes To Washington (Again)</h2>
Former special counsel Jack Smith is set to testify in front of the House Judiciary Committee on Thursday. His investigation into President Trump and the questionable tactics he used is expected to be a central focus of lawmakers’ questions. Expect fireworks. Smith has already been deposed once by the committee. It was closed to the public, though Republicans released a transcript. In front of the cameras, Republicans will have plenty to question Smith about, including some topics that have only come to light after Smith’s deposition last month. Lawmakers will also have another shot to ask Smith about spying on the phone records of some Republicans in Congress.

MW_260122_V1_Thumb

Morning Brief: Davos Gets Trumped, Sports Reporter Jumps In Senate Race, & Jack Smith Faces Congress

Morning Brief: Trump At Davos, Tafoya Jumps In, And Jack Smith To Testify

Jack Smith

Michele Tafoya

Minnesota

Morning Wire

California Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom was denied entry into the official headquarters for the U.S. delegation in Davos, Switzerland, for the World Economic Forum, his press office said on Wednesday.
The governor, a nemesis of President Donald Trump, was scheduled to speak to the media outlet Fortune for an event sponsored by the USA House in Davos, but wasn&#8217;t allowed inside the venue, POLITICO <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2026/01/21/newsom-administration-alleges-state-department-pressure-in-davos-cancellation-00738966">reported</a>. USA House, which is set up in a 19th-century church, has been recognized by the United States as the official headquarters for U.S. delegates in Davos this week for the World Economic Forum.
&#8220;Under pressure from the White House and State Department, USA House (a church acting as the official US pavilion) is now denying entry to @CAGovernor Gavin Newsom to speak with media after Fortune — the official media partner — invited him to speak,&#8221; Newsom&#8217;s press office <a href="https://x.com/GovPressOffice/status/2014023173033910527?s=20">wrote</a> on X.
White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly told The Daily Wire, &#8220;No one in Davos knows who third-rate governor Newscum is or why he is frolicking around Switzerland instead of fixing the many problems he created in California.”
Newsom has been in Davos during the World Economic Forum this week, where he has spoken to the media and bashed President Trump. Trump mentioned Newsom during his World Economic Forum speech as the governor looked on. The president was touting his record on cracking down on crime when he <a href="https://x.com/EricLDaugh/status/2013986705196372460">added</a>, &#8220;We will help the people of California &#8230; I know Gavin was here. I used to get along so great with Gavin when I was president. Gavin&#8217;s a good guy, and if he needed it, I would do it in a heartbeat. We did help them a lot in Los Angeles early in my term when they had some problems.&#8221;
After Trump delivered a speech to world leaders on Wednesday, Newsom called the speech &#8220;remarkably boring&#8221; and &#8220;remarkably insignificant.&#8221; On Tuesday, the California governor ripped world leaders for what he viewed as actions appeasing Trump.
&#8220;It&#8217;s time to stand tall and firm,&#8221; Newsom said. &#8220;I&#8217;ve seen this in the United States. The supine Congress playing both sides. &#8230; It&#8217;s time to have principle. It&#8217;s time to stand tall and strong.&#8221;
“I can&#8217;t take this complicity — people rolling over,&#8221; he added. &#8220;I should have brought a bunch of knee pads for all the world leaders. Nobel Prizes that are being given away. I mean, it’s just pathetic and I hope people understand how pathetic they look on the world stage, I mean, at least from an American perspective. It’s embarrassing.”
Trump administration officials, including Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Energy Secretary Chris Wright, have spoken to audiences gathered at the USA House in the Swiss Alps town this week. Earlier on Wednesday, Bessent <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2026/01/21/newsom-administration-alleges-state-department-pressure-in-davos-cancellation-00738966">ripped</a> Newsom while speaking at an event, saying, “I was told he was asked to give a speech on his signature policies, but he’s not speaking because what have his economic policies brought? Outward migration from California, a gigantic budget deficit, the largest homeless population in America.”

Left In The Cold: Newsom Says He Was Denied Entry To U.S. Delegation HQ In Davos

Trump Administration

The following is an edited transcript from <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/episode/ep-1895-president-trump-s-trip-to-the-world-economic-forum-explained-in-5-minutes?elementPosition=0&amp;row=0&amp;rowHeadline=Recent+Episodes&amp;rowType=Horizontal+Show+Episodes+Carousel">The Michael Knowles Show</a>.
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What is the broader, deeper vision of the World Economic Forum? Bestselling author Yuval Noah Harari actually sums it up quite well. Harari is close to Klaus Schwab who, of course, was the longtime head of the World Economic Forum. Harari has effectively become the &#8220;court intellectual&#8221; of the WEF, and he has been unusually candid about what he thinks the future holds.
Harari has said openly that as we look into the future, the world is going to be run by artificial intelligence. Anything involving language — up to and including the Bible and religion itself — is going to be taken over by AI.
In his own words, Harari explains it this way:
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Yuval Noah Harari speaking at the World Economic Forum just said that AI will soon take control of the Bible, and all the words written in it. The Bible absolutely accepts that challenge. Game on.
&#8220;The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth,… <a href="https://t.co/rA8S6YpQcT">pic.twitter.com/rA8S6YpQcT</a>
— Now The End Begins (@NowTheEndBegins) <a href="https://twitter.com/NowTheEndBegins/status/2013645014937604424?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 20, 2026</a></blockquote>
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Credit: @NowTheEndBegins/X.com
I’ve thought about Yuval Harari for a while now, and he could not make himself seem more villainous if he tried. He leans into it. He’s auditioning to be the Bond villain. He presents himself as the herald of the end times.
Now, to be fair, he’s not totally wrong about the influence of AI. AI has crept into all of our lives in one way or another. And we even cooperate with it constantly. In that sense, he’s right. But he gets the fundamental things wrong.
First of all, he says Jews refer to themselves as “the people of the book.” That’s a half-truth. Some people say it today, but Jews did not originate that phrase. Do you know where “people of the book” actually comes from? It comes from Islam. It’s a phrase from the Qur’an, used to refer to Jews and Christians in an attempt to present Islam as part of that same tradition.
“People of the book” is a Muslim term that Jews — and some Protestants — later appropriated. But when you really get down to it, setting Islam aside entirely, Judaism and Christianity are not fundamentally religions of the book.
They are religions of sacrifice.
It is true that since the destruction of the Second Temple in 70 A.D., Jews gather and conduct religious services in synagogues. But before that, Judaism was a religion of Temple sacrifice. Christianity, crucially, is also a religion of sacrifice. The centerpiece of Christian worship is the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass: the Blessed Sacrament, Christ in the Holy Eucharist — body, blood, soul, and divinity.
None of this diminishes the importance of Scripture. But Pope John Paul II corrected this misunderstanding beautifully when he said that Christianity is not the religion of a book. It is the religion of the Word of God. We are the people of the Word. Yes, we have Holy Scripture — inerrant and authored by God — but the center point is the Word Himself: the Word who became flesh and dwelt among us.
<div id="attachment_1031405" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1031405" class="size-large wp-image-1031405" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/01/GettyImages-2256691657-864x576.jpg" alt="Yuval Noah Harari, historian and philosopher, during the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland, on Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2026. The annual Davos gathering of political leaders, top executives and celebrities runs from Jan. 19-23. Photographer: Krisztian Bocsi/Bloomberg via Getty Images" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/01/GettyImages-2256691657-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/01/GettyImages-2256691657-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/01/GettyImages-2256691657-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/01/GettyImages-2256691657.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Krisztian Bocsi/Bloomberg via Getty Images</div>
Once you understand that, Harari’s statement becomes even more jarring. He says that anything involving language, anything involving words, will be taken over and conquered by AI. But if the religion that animates our civilization is the religion of the Word — “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” — then what Harari is really saying is that AI is going to conquer God.
<h3><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/episode/ep-1895-president-trump-s-trip-to-the-world-economic-forum-explained-in-5-minutes?elementPosition=0&amp;row=0&amp;rowHeadline=Recent+Episodes&amp;rowType=Horizontal+Show+Episodes+Carousel">WATCH: The Michael Knowles Show</a></h3>
Harari is a smart guy, so he may be aware that this is exactly what he’s saying, even if he doesn’t state it explicitly. And if he’s not aware of it, that somehow makes it even worse.
The belief that AI will conquer God is what a lot of liberal, humanist, materialist, and atheist globalists actually believe. This isn’t the product of a few years or even a few decades. It’s the culmination of centuries of liberal thought. They intend to make their own god, and AI will be that god. They will worship it.
It’s no different from the Old Testament, where pagans worshipped dumb idols that God repeatedly warned them not to worship, lest they become dumb themselves. And that’s exactly what’s happened.
That’s why all these fancy elites, who went to elite schools, who have lots of money and impressive jobs, seem so dumb. That’s why someone like Yuval Harari, who probably has a very high IQ and has read an enormous number of books, ends up saying things that sound so profoundly foolish.
And that’s why you end up needing a guy like Trump to barge in and tell them.

World Economic Forum Speaker Says, ‘AI Will Take Over Religion’

World Economic Forum Speaker Says, 'AI Will Take Over Religion'

Artificial Intelligence

Islam

Klaus Schwab

Koran

Scripture

During President Donald Trump’s first term, his musings about acquiring Greenland were widely dismissed as a joke, serving as fodder for memes and late-night punchlines. In his second term, however, Trump has pressed the idea more seriously, raising it face-to-face with world leaders on Wednesday at the World Economic Forum in Davos.
In his remarks, Trump described Greenland as ‘part of North America’ and argued that it is essential to both his proposed &#8220;Golden Dome&#8221; missile defense system and the broader protection of U.S. national security.
“No nation or group of nations is in any position to be able to secure Greenland other than the United States,” Trump said, arguing that Denmark, which owns the autonomous territory, had failed to meet its NATO obligations to defend it. In recent weeks, Trump has argued that both China and Russia pose a threat to the world’s largest island in the strategic Arctic.
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Biggest moment: Trump rules out force to take Greenland.
&#8220;I don&#8217;t have to use force, I don&#8217;t want to use force, I won&#8217;t use force.&#8221; <a href="https://t.co/PzOLorkjrR">pic.twitter.com/PzOLorkjrR</a>
— Kassy Akiva (@KassyAkiva) <a href="https://twitter.com/KassyAkiva/status/2014038839782711438?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 21, 2026</a></blockquote>
While Trump left open the possibility of military action as he set the stage for negotiations, he reassured the Davos audience that force would not be used, to the great relief of European countries.
“We probably won’t get anything unless I decide to use excessive strength and force, where we would be, frankly, unstoppable,” Trump said, before quickly adding, “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.”
Trump leaned heavily on World War II history, recounting how American forces moved into Greenland after Denmark fell to Nazi Germany in 1940, establishing bases to prevent enemy powers from gaining a foothold in the Western Hemisphere. He called the move to return Greenland to Denmark after the war foolish. 
“How stupid were we to do that? But we did it,” he said, adding that the island was “much more necessary now” than it had been decades earlier.
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Trump on the U.S. controlling Greenland in WWII:
&#8220;When Denmark fell to Germany after just six hours of fighting and was totally unable to defend either itself or Greenland. So the United States was then compelled—we did it, we felt an obligation to do it—to send our own forces… <a href="https://t.co/PnRdu0ISHn">pic.twitter.com/PnRdu0ISHn</a>
— Kassy Akiva (@KassyAkiva) <a href="https://twitter.com/KassyAkiva/status/2014037043748237739?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 21, 2026</a></blockquote>
Trump rejected claims that he wants the island for its rare minerals, saying instead that Greenland&#8217;s value is a matter of national security, given its “key strategic location between the United States, Russia, and China.”
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<div class="p-rich_text_section">He said that if there were to be a large war, &#8220;missiles would be flying right over the center of that piece of ice.&#8221;</div>
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He also noted that past presidents tried to buy the island—likely referring to President Harry Truman, who in 1946 <a href="https://www.npr.org/2019/08/22/753192368/fact-check-did-harry-truman-really-try-to-buy-greenland-back-in-the-day">offered</a> $100 million in gold along with rights to a tract of Alaskan oil.
“But there’s so much rare earth, and to get to this rare earth, you’ve got to go through hundreds of feet of ice,” he said. “That’s not the reason we need it. We need it for strategic national security and international security.”
He added that Greenland is “on the northern frontier of the Western Hemisphere.”
“That’s our territory,” he said.
Trump criticized Greenland’s defenses, claiming that Denmark failed to follow through with its pledge to invest $200 million to strengthen its security.
“No sign of Denmark there,” Trump said, leaving out <a href="https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/trump-mocks-denmark-increasing-greenland-131809714.html">the joke</a> he has made in recent weeks that Greenland is defended by dog sleds.
“It&#8217;s the United States alone that can protect this giant mass of land, this giant piece of ice, develop it and improve it and make it so that it’s good for Europe and safe for Europe and good for us,” he said. “And that’s the reason I’m seeking immediate negotiations to once again discuss the acquisition of Greenland by the United States.&#8221;
The president repeatedly criticized NATO during his speech, saying the United States does far more to defend Europe than it receives in return and therefore should be granted Greenland.
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Trump makes the case that NATO owes Greenland to the United States:
&#8220;What we have gotten out of NATO is nothing except to protect Europe from the Soviet Union and now Russia. We pay for NATO. And all we&#8217;re asking for is to get Greenland, including right, title, and ownership,… <a href="https://t.co/rfUCu0UUWh">pic.twitter.com/rfUCu0UUWh</a>
— Kassy Akiva (@KassyAkiva) <a href="https://twitter.com/KassyAkiva/status/2014039748281561109?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 21, 2026</a></blockquote>
“What we have gotten out of NATO is nothing except to protect Europe from the Soviet Union and now Russia,” he said. “We pay for NATO and all we’re asking for is to get Greenland, including right, title, and ownership, because you need the ownership to defend it.”
During a question-and-answer session with World Economic Forum President Børge Brende after his speech, Trump said Denmark is a “small country” spending “hundreds of millions to run it.”
“It’s a very big piece of ice. It’s very important that we use that for national and international security. That can create a power that will make it impossible for the bad guys to do anything against the perceived good ones.”

Trump Takes Firm Stance On Greenland At Davos, Rules Out Force

President Donald Trump arrived in Switzerland on Wednesday, just a few hours before he was scheduled to deliver a speech at the World Economic Forum that is expected to touch on Greenland and the future of Venezuela. 
Trump landed in Zurich before boarding a helicopter to Davos, where he is set to give a speech at 8:30 am EST. During his visit, Trump is also expected to meet with other foreign leaders and attend a business lunch. 
“I believe it will be very successful, the trip. The country’s never done better.  We have 18 trillion dollars plus coming in,” Trump said before leaving Tuesday night. “We&#8217;ve never had anything like it, and no country has had anything like it. Prices are way down.  Gasoline now is $1.99 in a lot of places. And frankly, nobody&#8217;s seen anything like this. So it&#8217;s really good, but this will be an interesting trip.  I have no idea what&#8217;s going to happen, but you are well represented.”
Traveling with Trump to Davos are Secretary of State Marco Rubio, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, and Director of the National Economic Council Kevin Hassett, according to the White House. 
Trump arrived later than planned in Zurich after his first flight had to return to Joint Base Andrews in Maryland due to an electrical issue. The problem was reportedly minor, but the White House decided to switch planes out of an abundance of caution, Leavitt told reporters. 
Trump’s comments on Greenland, along with threats to impose tariffs on countries that block an American acquisition, have drawn much criticism from European leaders ahead of his speech.
“I will not yield,” <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/live/2026/01/21/us/trump-davos-greenland-news">said</a> British Prime Minister Keir Starmer. “Britain will not yield on our principles and values about the future of Greenland under threats of tariffs.”
But NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said the main focus should be on the Russia-Ukraine War, not Greenland. 
“The risk here is that we focus, of course, on Greenland, because we have to make sure that issue gets solved in an amicable way,” he said. “But the main issue is not Greenland. Now, the main issue is Ukraine. I’m also a little bit worried that we might drop the ball focusing so much on these other issues.”
Trump said Tuesday that he had &#8220;a lot of meetings scheduled on Greenland&#8221; and that &#8220;things are going to work out pretty well.&#8221;

Trump Arrives In Switzerland, Set To Confront Global Leaders At Davos

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