Trump Adviser Rejects Reports of Davos Meeting With North Western State of Somalia’s President

Trump aide denies claims of Davos meeting with North Western State of Somalia president

WASHINGTON — A spokesperson for Eric Trump, the son of U.S. President Donald Trump, has denied reports that he met Abdirahman Cirro — identified by some accounts as the president of Somalia’s northwestern regional administration — during a dinner event on the sidelines of the Davos meetings in Switzerland.

Kimberly Benza, a spokesperson for Eric Trump, said no talks took place and no political or economic topics were discussed at the gathering, described as a Jewish community dinner adjacent to the high-profile proceedings in Davos.

“There was no meeting between Eric Trump and Abdirahman Cirro, and there were no discussions on politics or economics,” Benza said. “It was a dinner event. Cirro stood nearby and greeted Eric Trump following his speech.”

Benza confirmed that Eric Trump attended the dinner as a guest among international figures, including Israeli President Isaac Herzog, and emphasized that no formal or informal engagement took place between Trump and the Somali regional leader.

The clarification follows claims circulating around Davos that suggested a sit-down occurred between the two men. Benza’s statement aimed to draw a clear line between a brief greeting in a crowded room and any suggestion of a substantive meeting or policy conversation.

The dinner took place alongside the annual Davos meetings, which draw political leaders, business executives and public figures from around the world for panels, private gatherings and bilateral conversations. Against that backdrop, encounters at receptions can easily be construed as meetings; Trump’s team underscored that in this instance, it was not.

Eric Trump’s attendance at the dinner, where he delivered remarks, placed him in proximity to a range of dignitaries and guests. According to his spokesperson, the interaction with Cirro did not extend beyond a customary greeting in the immediate aftermath of Trump’s speech.

While Davos often serves as a venue for on-the-margins diplomacy and networking, representatives for Eric Trump stressed that no outreach, negotiation or agenda was involved in the brief exchange. The statement did not elaborate on the content of Trump’s speech at the dinner.

The World Economic Forum week in Davos traditionally generates a flurry of formal sessions and informal encounters that can blur into speculation about potential alliances or policy overtures. In this case, Trump’s team sought to dispel any suggestion that a new channel had opened between Eric Trump and leadership from Somalia’s northwestern region.

As of publication, there were no additional details from Cirro’s side about the dinner or the greeting described by Trump’s spokesperson.

By Ali Musa

Axadle Times international–Monitoring.