Trump, who attended last year’s Davos event, had planned to go again this year but last week pulled out as he grapples with Democrats in the U.S. Congress over funding for a border wall that has led to a partial shutdown of the U.S. government.
In place of Trump, U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo were expected to lead the American delegation, two senior administration officials said this week.