California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office said the governor was denied entry into a venue at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, on Jan. 21, after being invited to speak at the event due to “pressure” from the Trump administration.
Newsom had been scheduled to speak with Fortune at the USA House, Davos, a privately organized event, at the World Economic Forum, which has been recognized by the U.S. government as the nation’s headquarters in Davos.
“Gavin Newsom-” aaand the comments are flooded lmao. I mean, I despise Newsom as much as I can, but, also, this is World News.
In the spirit of a non-USA news subreddit, I’ll point out that California governor Newsom feels like a weird speaker for a world economic event. Yes, I know Newsom had to deal with the Republican administration when ICE and the military were deployed to Los Angeles, CA; but if you’re looking for a leader to advise you on opposing Trump from an economic standpoint, wouldn’t an economic department head from Canada be a better choice?
Canada’s been dealing with Republican isolationist tariff policy fairly well from what I know. Facing the most direct pressure over the “51st state” invasion threats, the Canadian population is pushing away from USA brands and investing in domestic products. With alllll the nations facing tariffs from the USA, surely a dialogue about encouraging such shifts in a population would be valuable.
He was scheduled to speak in the US House (a part of the Davos conference). So no a Canadian doesn’t make much sense there.
California is probably the most powerful state in the US and more than some EU countries
I’m sorry, but the people at Davos have no material interest in opposing Trump. The global oligarchy and the politicians they employ are preparing the world for neo-feudalism, and Trump is their Messiah.
Given that snivelling Nigel Fucking Farage spoke at one of the Davos events the bar can’t be that high.
putin had to hastily had thaw him from the SIBERIAN permafrost for quick talking points.
Good point. Newsome manages the fourth-largest economy in the world and Farage . . . well, I seem to remember something about a bus and the NHS, but I don’t think anything ever came of it, lol
I think the bus was Boris’s, which made it even more egregious for the fact that he subsequently became Prime Minister and acted like the whole thing was just a jolly jape that wasn’t meant to be taken literally.
California has the fourth largest economy in the world.
it out-performs Canada.
so yeah, it makes sense to have him there as a speaker.
if you’re talking about policy choices, canada has a lot more relevance to a world economic forum though. ata bare minimum, california is a lot more constrained in how it can behave, making its solutions largely only relevant to the context of other US states - unless you’re talking purely social/soft solutions
If they push for something like emission standards in the US, other states get drawn in since OEMs need to adhere to California and it’s often easier just to make the 1 product everywhere, but that also ripples outside the country to some extent.
I don’t know where you got that idea from. doesn’t make sense when you think about it.
do you really believe there are economic constraints on a state in the largest economic country that holds capitalism in the highest regard?
… yes…
canada can do basically whatever it wants theoretically
california can’t use its national guard without risk of federalisation, its can’t issue tariffs or any kind of trade controls, it can’t even stop giving money to the aggressor via taxes to finance its own aggression
hell california apparently can’t even stop the federal government from doing blatantly illegal shit
and what does that have anything to do with a world economic forum?
Almost everything. California doesn’t make trade rules, it doesn’t regulate interstate commerce, and those that do are outwardly hostile to them. There’s a good chance he gets indicted next year in the run up to the election, even though he’s a lousy candidate and choosing him or any of the establishment picks is akin to throwing the election, again.
Unless he finds his backbone and constructs a popular reform ticket, but he was chosen not to do that.
again…zero contextual relation to his access to a world economic forum.
what do trade controls and taxation have to do with global economics…? is that what you’re asking?
so you’re just talking out your ass. my fault for expecting anything out of some rando on the internet.
It’s too much to say the enemy of my enemy is my friend, but he’s on of the handful actually speaking up and the one with the most chips on the table.
https://www.gov.ca.gov/2025/04/23/california-is-now-the-4th-largest-economy-in-the-world/
Newsome is there because if California were to leave the US, we would be the fourth or fifth largest economy in the world, and if Trump keeps doing what he’s doing the rest of the US would dip to number 2
I really don’t think that California will secede and it would be stupid of any USA governor to suggest that. Sedition would warrant a military response, and I’m certain the Republican administration would obliterate the state given how they’re reacting to anyone opposing their fascist paramilitary “ICE”.
Edit: Upon re-reading I think I understand what you’re saying. Newsom is the head of California and he leads California’s economy, which includes Silicon Valley and the major Fin-Tech companies. I see; I see.
Yes, your edit is the point I was making