Former Treasury Secretary Lawrence Summers said Sunday that President Trump must use his appearance at this week’s World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, to reassure the world about the United States.
“Inevitably, attention will focus on whether the US president projects a commitment to internationalist values or reiterates his commitment to truculent nationalism in the name of making America ‘great again,’” Summers wrote in an op-ed for the Financial Times.
Trump and several other high-ranking U.S. officials are scheduled to attend the forum in Davos, which runs from Tuesday through Friday.
{mosads}Summers, who served as Treasury secretary during the Clinton administration, said it’s fair for Trump to argue that the U.S. must focus on strengthening its domestic economy, but he should also indicate America can be a predictable partner that will engage in diplomacy.
“If this is the combination of messages that comes out of Davos, a nervous world may become a bit less nervous. That would be a very good thing for those gathered at the forum — and everyone else as well,” Summers wrote.
The U.S. typically sends a delegation to the meeting of government and business leaders. Trump will be only the second sitting president to attend the Davos conference, after Bill Clinton.
The White House defended Trump’s decision to attend the forum, saying he would talk about correcting trade imbalances and promoting an “America First” agenda.
Whether Trump will travel to Davos is in doubt as the government remains shuttered Monday. The president canceled his trip to Florida this past weekend as Congress attempted to reach an agreement to fund the government.