Photo by Nikolai Lehmann

Rolex watches are the ultimate symbol of Swiss precision and reliability. Yet not everything in Switzerland is precise and reliable these days. The visit of Donald Trump to the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos raises questions about the Forum’s relevance, the current world order, and Switzerland’s diplomatic role. And just prior to Davos, a horrific New Year’s Eve fire at a bar in the upscale ski resort of Crans-Montana killed 40 young people and left over one hundred seriously injured, challenging Switzerland’s reputation for safety and reliability.

“Is Switzerland an island of stability in a chaotic world?” Le Temps asked. The powerful head of the Swiss banking giant UBS, Sergio Ermotti, responded in another local paper: “We are a Swiss bank and we are proud of Switzerland,” he said, “But many abroad ask us: what is happening in Switzerland?” (All local quotes are translated.)

The role of the WEF has been an integral part of the Swiss image as an influential hub of high diplomacy and high rollers. Since its first meeting in Davos in 1971, the WEF has captured the world’s imagination of an exclusive elite trying to solve the world’s economic and political problems in a small Swiss mountain village. “Davos Man,” was immortalized and criticized by U.S. political scientist Samuel Huntington, who referred to political leaders and business executives attending Davos as a type of cosmopolitan, globally mobile elite disconnected from the majority of people.

And here comes The Donald to Davos, with the largest ever U.S. delegation, more than 800 American business leaders........

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