When Jamie Dimon stepped onto the stage at the World Economic Forum meeting in Davos today, he didn’t have outstanding feedback for the congregation.
The CEO of JPMorgan Chase was questioned about whether there is a “climate of fear” among America’s CEOs, particularly when it comes to speaking about the policies of the White House. The question, which drew applause from the audience, prompted some blunt feedback for what he called the “Davos elite.”
“I’ve been coming to Davos all these years and listen to chatter and stuff like that,” he said. “And you didn’t do a particularly good job making the world a better place. I think it’s great we get together and talk.”
Dimon leveled the criticism amid questions throughout the interview on whether he thought President Trump’s policies had been good or bad for the economy and geopolitical climate. The Wall Street veteran’s response was that he didn’t see the issues as binary, either better or worse, particularly until more information about outcomes became clear.
The 69-year-old banker, having sidestepped some more politically fraught topics like Greenland, robustly summarized his views as: “I’ve made it clear I want a stronger NATO, a stronger Europe. Some of the things Trump has done are causing that, some are not. I’m not a tariff guy, though I’d use it in [some] cases. I think they should change their approach to immigration. I’ve said it.
