President Donald Trump is expected to use his maiden speech to the World Economic Forum to promote his tax cuts, deregulation and trade policies to chief executives, bankers and political leaders.
Trump, who flew into the sanctum of the global elite at the Swiss ski resort of Davos on Thursday, will deliver the event's main closing address on Friday after a week of veiled criticism of his America First agenda by several world leaders here.
The first sitting US president to visit the annual summit since Bill Clinton in 2000, Trump was greeted on arrival by hundreds of curious delegates who snapped pictures as he entered the congress centre.
He made an immediate impression: he talked up the dollar, going against the grain of previous remarks made by his treasury secretary at Davos, and threatened to withhold aid to Palestinians unless they pursued peace with Israel.
But the main thrust of his visit will be to convince business leaders to step up investment in the United States.
"A lot of people are coming back to the United States. We are seeing tremendous investment and today has been a very exciting day. Very great day and great for our country. Thank you very much," Trump told reporters in Davos on Thursday.
After meeting the prime ministers of Britain and Israel, Trump hosted a dinner with leaders of some of the world's largest firms, including Nestle, SAP and Siemens, Deloitte and Bayer. Senior members of his cabinet were also present.
Trump, a real estate mogul and former reality TV star, had never been invited to Davos before. He basked in the praise of several executives, who applauded his tax cuts.
Trump is due to address the forum on Friday afternoon and White House aides said his message would be the same that he has given during other trips abroad over the past year: The United States wants strong ties with its allies but is also determined to reduce its chronic trade deficits with many of them.
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