- US President Trump likened himself to a dictator after his World Economic Forum speech in Davos
- Trump previously suggested Americans might like a dictator while signing federal crackdown orders
- He has also praised authoritarian leaders like Putin, Xi, and Kim Jong Un in the past for their strength
Speaking after his address at the World Economic Forum in Davos, US President Donald Trump likened himself to a "dictator."
"We had a good speech, we got great reviews. I can't believe it, we got good reviews on that speech," Trump said on Wednesday. "Usually they say, 'He's a horrible dictator-type person,' I'm a dictator," he continued. "But sometimes you need a dictator! But they didn't say that in this case.... It's all based on common sense, it's not conservative or liberal, or anything else."
Trump in his WEF address that was widely mocked, continued to demand the US takeover of Greenland and made threats to Canada and Europe.
This is not the first time Trump has compared himself to a dictator.
In August 2025, Trump suggested Americans would like a dictator as he signed orders to tighten his federal clampdown on the capital, Washington, and to prosecute flag-burners. He complained that he did not get credit for his National Guard-backed crackdown on crime and immigration.
"They say 'we don't need him. Freedom, freedom. He's a dictator. He's a dictator.' A lot of people are saying: 'Maybe we like a dictator,'" Trump told reporters.
But he then said, "I don't like a dictator. I'm not a dictator. I'm a man with great common sense and a smart person."
Ahead of the 2024 elections, he told Fox News' Sean Hannity that he would be a dictator but only on the first day of office.
However, Trump has frequently praised authoritarian leaders for their strength, intelligence, and control.
Trump has repeatedly called Russian President Vladimir Putin "smart," "very smart," and a "strong leader." He famously praised Putin's 2022 invasion of Ukraine as "genius" and "savvy."
He has described Chinese President Xi Jinping as "strong," "highly respected," and "like central casting," suggesting that "nobody in Hollywood could play the role." Trump has also praised North Korea's Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un as "tough" and a "smart cookie" and even said in 2018 that the two "fell in love."
After weeks of threats, Trump finally stepped back from the threat of imposing tariffs on countries opposing his plans of taking Greenland over and ruled out using force, suggesting instead that a framework deal over the Arctic island was in sight.
Trump's abrupt climbdown on using tariffs as a weapon to seize Greenland brought relief on Thursday, but the uncertainty regarding transatlantic ties remains.
