Rep. Kevin McCarthy revealed he had “dinner” with billionaire Klaus Schwab at the World Economic Forum in 2018 during remarks he made on a panel with Mitch McConnell’s wife, Elaine Chao, a shipping heiress of Chinese descent.
McCarthy attended the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland in 2018, the same year 45th President Donald Trump spoke to the elite group of wealthy businessmen, politicians, and journalists.
During a 30-minute panel discussion with Chao, formerly Trump’s Secretary of Transportation, and Kirstjen Nielsen, formerly Trump’s Secretary of Homeland Security, McCarthy remarked on having “dinner” with Schwab during the World Economic Forum while describing what “America First” means to the audience.
“As I sat around Klaus’s dinner last night, what’s interesting is the number of countries who are now talking about their tax system,” said McCarthy while suggesting that Trump’s “America First” message meant tax cuts, economic reforms, and strong borders.
McCarthy’s remarks during the panel discussion appear to represent an attempt to develop an understanding between World Economic Forum attendees and Trump, with McCarthy serving as communicator to translate Trump’s pro-America policies into jargon the international body could understand.
In one moment, against claims that Trump’s economic tariffs would hurt American consumers, McCarthy defended him by asserting that he is “more concerned about my community having jobs over the next decade.”
He also defended Trump’s bombastic persona, noting that “You have to raise the temperature, just as other presidents have done in the past” in order to “get the debate going” with foreign leaders.
