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Trump flies all the way to Switzerland to largely address his domestic audience

President Trump seemed to be speaking to his base, not the rest of the world.

US President Donald Trump delivers a speech during the World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting on January 26, 2018 in Davos, Switzerland.  CREDIT:  Fabrice Coffrini     /AFP/Getty Images.
US President Donald Trump delivers a speech during the World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting on January 26, 2018 in Davos, Switzerland. CREDIT: Fabrice Coffrini /AFP/Getty Images.

Although President Donald Trump encouraged the international community to “do business in America,” the bulk of his Friday speech at the World Economic Forum in Switzerland seemed gear to the domestic U.S. audience.

Referring to those who have criticized his U.S.-centric “America First” approach as being detrimental to the country’s long-term goals and diplomatic efforts, Trump said that America First does not mean “America alone” — but made no reference to specific areas of cooperation with international partners.

Instead, he said that America First was essentially the same as the leaders of other countries protecting their own interests.

“I believe in America. As president of the United States, I will always put America first,” he said. “Just like the leaders of other countries should put their countries first. But America first does not mean America alone.”

Still, he made little mention of how the United States would work with other countries at the global summit. Trump, the first sitting U.S. president to attend the forum in Davos, Switzerland in 18 years, highlighted his tax reform and the lower unemployment rate among African Americans and Hispanic Americans and promised investment in the military, repeating some of the talking points that do well among his base in the United States.

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He claimed that “regulation is stealth taxation,” blamed “unelected bureaucrats” for creating “crushing anti-business and anti-worker regulations,” and touted the country’s “strong economic growth,” citing a strong stock market and consumer confidence.

Just moments after his speech, the Washington Post reported that economic growth had slowed in the United States the final quarter of 2017, falling short of Trump’s own targets:

The economy grew far faster in 2017 than during the year before, but the slower rate in the fourth quarter underscores the challenge the Trump administration will have in delivering the growth he has promised. Officials have focused on 3 percent GDP growth as proof his economic policies were working, and Trump has said it could go far beyond that target.

Trump repeatedly told the leaders at the forum that the United States was a great place for investment and that the country has “the best workers in the world.” His references to U.S. foreign policy were few. He said that the United States is will still working to “de-nuke the Korean Peninsula,” “block Iran’s path to a nuclear weapon,” (Iran insists it has never sought one) and to continue to fight “jihadist terrorists.”