During impeachment trial, Trump will be chilling in Swiss resort

Washington: Far from feeling the heat, President Donald Trump will be chilling in Davos, a fancy Swiss ski resort, when the Senate hears opening arguments in his impeachment trial next week.

Trump is so confident that his Republican party majority will stay loyal that he sees no risk in jetting to Switzerland for the annual World Economic Forum on Tuesday, right as lawmakers convene for the historic trial.

“I’m going to be going to Davos. I’ll be meeting the biggest business leaders in the world, getting them to come here. I’ll also be meeting with foreign leaders,” Trump told reporters at the White House as his trial formally began on Thursday.

The contrast in settings will be extreme.

In Washington, Democratic lawmakers will argue that Trump is a corrupt leader who abused his power by trying to strong-arm Ukraine into a fake investigation aimed at tarnishing a top election rival, Joe Biden. They’ll call for his removal from office.

More than 4,200 miles (nearly 6,800 km) away, Trump will swagger through Davos as the forum’s unquestioned star.

Davos is where the world’s movers and shakers gather each year for informal discussions on weighty issues. Detractors call it a talking shop for out-of-touch billionaires and celebrities, and this year most major international leaders are staying away.

The field will be clear for Trump to do what he does best - tout his achievements and suck up the attention.

“We are booming,” he said.

“There’s nothing even close.”

“Every world leader sees me and says ‘What have you done? This is the most incredible thing that we’ve ever seen.’”