‘Globalisation has failed the West and the US’: Howard Lutnick at Davos WEF 2026
WEF Davos 2026: Howard Lutnick said he viewed the WEF “as not a flagpole in the middle but in fact, the flag, that every way the wind blew, it blew”.
- Jan 21, 2026,
- Updated Jan 21, 2026 9:04 AM IST
US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, speaking at a panel discussion at the World Economic Forum 2026 in Davos said globalisation has failed the West and the US. He said globalisation has left the US behind, and asked why Europe has committed to be net zero by 2030 when they don’t even make a battery.
Lutnick said, “The Trump Administration and myself, we are here to make a very clear point — globalization has failed the West and the United States of America.”
“It’s a failed policy. It is what the WEF has stood for, which is export, offshore, far-shore, find the cheapest labor in the world and the world is a better place for it,” he said, adding, “The fact is it has left America behind. It has left the American workers behind. And what we are here to say is ‘America First’ is a different model, one that we encourage other countries to consider, which is that our workers come first.” Lutnick said a country should not offshore its entire industrial structure and have it hollowed out. “You should not be dependent,” he said.
Lutnick said he viewed the WEF “as not a flagpole in the middle but in fact, the flag, that every way the wind blew, it blew”.
“Why are you going to do solar and wind? Why would Europe agree to be net zero in 2030 when they don’t make a battery? They don’t make a battery…So if they go 2030, they are deciding to be subservient to China, who makes the batteries,” he said.
Lutnick’s remarks come on the eve of US President Donald Trump’s visit and the subsequent address to Davos on Wednesday. He is expected to discuss the ‘Board of Peace’ part of his Gaza peace plan, as well as annexing Greenland from Denmark.
Trump said there was “no going back” on his goal to annexe Greenland as European leaders responded sternly. Later he said, "We will work something out where NATO is going to be very happy and where we're going to be very happy."
US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, speaking at a panel discussion at the World Economic Forum 2026 in Davos said globalisation has failed the West and the US. He said globalisation has left the US behind, and asked why Europe has committed to be net zero by 2030 when they don’t even make a battery.
Lutnick said, “The Trump Administration and myself, we are here to make a very clear point — globalization has failed the West and the United States of America.”
“It’s a failed policy. It is what the WEF has stood for, which is export, offshore, far-shore, find the cheapest labor in the world and the world is a better place for it,” he said, adding, “The fact is it has left America behind. It has left the American workers behind. And what we are here to say is ‘America First’ is a different model, one that we encourage other countries to consider, which is that our workers come first.” Lutnick said a country should not offshore its entire industrial structure and have it hollowed out. “You should not be dependent,” he said.
Lutnick said he viewed the WEF “as not a flagpole in the middle but in fact, the flag, that every way the wind blew, it blew”.
“Why are you going to do solar and wind? Why would Europe agree to be net zero in 2030 when they don’t make a battery? They don’t make a battery…So if they go 2030, they are deciding to be subservient to China, who makes the batteries,” he said.
Lutnick’s remarks come on the eve of US President Donald Trump’s visit and the subsequent address to Davos on Wednesday. He is expected to discuss the ‘Board of Peace’ part of his Gaza peace plan, as well as annexing Greenland from Denmark.
Trump said there was “no going back” on his goal to annexe Greenland as European leaders responded sternly. Later he said, "We will work something out where NATO is going to be very happy and where we're going to be very happy."