DAVOS – President Donald Trump attacked climate activists as “perennial prophets of doom” on Tuesday while addressing the World Economic Forum, which was focused on the climate crisis as the US Senate begins his impeachment trial back in Washington.
The theme of this year’s conference in Davos, Switzerland, which draws world leaders and business leaders, was focused on “a cohesive and sustainable world.”
Trump announced that the United States would be joining the “One Trillion Trees” initiative, a program with the goal of restoring a trillion trees by 2050, but said that “to embrace the possibilities of tomorrow, we must reject the perennial prophets of doom and their predictions of the apocalypse.”
“They are the errors of yesterday’s fortune tellers and we have them and I have them and they want to see us do badly, but we don’t let that happen,” Trump continued.
Trump said that in joining the “One Trillion Trees” initiative, America “will continue to show strong leadership and restoring, growing and better managing our trees and our forests.”
“This is not a time for pessimism. This is a time for optimism. Fear and doubt is not a good thought process because this is a time for tremendous hope and joy and optimism and action,” he said.
Trump, who missed the World Economic Forum’s annual meeting last year due to the government shutdown, is expected to sit down with business leaders and a slate of foreign counterparts, including the Iraqi and Swiss presidents later on Tuesday. But impeachment will likely remain on his mind.
When asked about the impeachment trial back home, Trump paused briefly to repeat his months-long defense that “it’s just a hoax.”
“It’s a witch hunt that’s been going on for years, and frankly it’s disgraceful,” he added.
In his speech to the forum, the President focused on what he says his administration has done for the American middle class.
“America is winning again like never before,” the President told the forum. He said before he took office, the “shrinking middle class… felt neglected, betrayed, forgotten.” He touted his trade deals, tax cuts, and slashes to regulations.
He arrived at the gathering with a strong US economy at his back, one that has bolstered the global economy amid economic uncertainty in Europe and other parts of the world and helped enrich many of the billionaires and other businessmen attending the summit – CNN
