'An American-Dominated Davos': Trump To 'Ruffle EU Pigeons', Says Sir Martin Sorrell

Davos is bracing for an all-out American takeover as Donald Trump returns to the world's biggest economic forum, a shift Sir Martin Sorrell says is rattling Europe from the Greenland shock to a fresh wave of geopolitical disruption.

Trump's arrival supercharges what organizers expect to be the biggest Davos yet, with the US president set to push a full-throated Team USA message. Last year, he beamed in from the White House two days after his inauguration, joking about Canada, floating ideas on Greenland and warning importers to build in America or pay tariffs that would "raise trillions." This time he is in the room.

"This is going to be a very American dominated Davos," Sorrell, the executive chairman of S4 Capital and founder of WPP plc, told NDTV's Vishnu Som, arguing that Trump has "put the proverbial cat amongst the EU pigeons," even "the Greenland cat," sending Europe "flurrying around." 

He expects some attention on Venezuela and Iran, "but I think probably the top story is the US-led tone".

He said the American footprint is unprecedented. "Larry Fink is co-chairman with Andre Hoffmann. USA has taken us a house out the church here in the village for the first time... it's the biggest delegation... cabinet ministers... Lutnik is here as well... there's going to be a lot of people here." Sorrell added, "We shall see how it plays out."

Sorrell described Trump's method as deliberate shock therapy. "He tends to put an extreme position out there and settle for something less." On Greenland, he said, "There is something in the Greenland position... given its geography... given Russian and Chinese interest... from a strategic point of view." 

He recalled how after the US left the Reykjavik base in Iceland, "the country that made the first indicative inquiry... was China. So the Chinese and the Russians are very acute."

China brands itself a "near-Arctic state" and has steadily widened its footprint across the High North through research outposts, investment bids, and stepped-up diplomacy in places such as Iceland and Greenland. 

That push, spanning scientific projects and infrastructure interest, has fuelled Western concern that ostensibly civilian initiatives could carry dual-use potential, creating strategic leverage in a region growing more important for shipping routes, resources, and security competition.

In Iceland specifically, Chinese activity has included efforts to build scientific facilities such as the China-Iceland Arctic Research Observatory, high-profile construction or land-purchase proposals, and a significantly expanded embassy presence. 

Analysts in Europe and the United States have flagged these moves for their possible geostrategic implications, particularly when read alongside Russia's Arctic posture. Russia, the largest Arctic state, has rebuilt and modernised military bases along its northern coastline and increased submarine and naval operations, including in zones tied to access to the North Atlantic and the Greenland-Iceland-UK sea lanes.

Domestic politics will also ripple through Davos. "I don't think our prime minister Keir Starmer was due to come... but there's some speculation that he might come to support (UK Chancellor) Rachel Reeves because Nigel Farage is going to be here," he said. 

On US-China tensions, Sorrell argued Trump had "driven (Mark) Carney into Chinese arms," calling Trump's "good luck" remark about a China deal "a little bit of sour grapes."