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US commerce secretary Howard Lutnick was heckled at a World Economic Forum dinner in Davos hosted by BlackRock’s Larry Fink, according to people at the event.
The gathering on Tuesday night descended into uproar after combative remarks from Lutnick, the people said, with widespread jeering, some guests walking out and appeals for calm from Fink, head of the world’s largest asset manager and interim co-chair of WEF.
This year’s gathering in the Alps has the theme: “A spirit of dialogue.”
Lutnick told his audience that the world should focus on coal as an energy source rather than renewables, according to one person present, and made dismissive comments about Europe.
He had earlier on Tuesday written an op-ed for the FT in which he said: “We’re not going to Davos to uphold the status quo. We’re going to confront it head on.”
He also wrote: “We are here at Davos to make one thing crystal clear: With President Trump, capitalism has a new sheriff in town.”
One chief executive present described the atmosphere as “tense”, while another said it was “noisy and spicy”.
One of the hecklers was Al Gore, the former US vice-president, according to two executives present.
Fink has sought to stabilise WEF after a tumultuous chapter under the leadership of Klaus Schwab in which the organisation was rocked by allegations of financial misconduct and a toxic work environment. An investigation cleared Schwab of misconduct allegations.
Fink and Roche vice-chair André Hoffmann have headed up the WEF’s governing board since August.
Fink told the FT before the conference: “We are living in a more polarising world. There’s more people talking at each other, not to each other.” He added: “It is my role to elevate everybody and have a serious conversation.”
US and EU relations are at a low ebb after the US president threatened to impose new tariffs on certain European countries if he is not allowed to “acquire” Greenland.
The commerce department and WEF did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Reporting by Tom Braithwaite, Arash Massoudi, Ortenca Aliaj, Mercedes Ruehl and Stephen Morris
