As president of the Heritage Foundation, and former head of Wyoming Catholic College, Kevin Roberts didn’t hold anything back Thursday at a panel at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.
Roberts, who led Wyoming Catholic College from 2013-2016, called out attendees of the leftist conference as “global elites” who are part of the problem.
As a result, his remarks went viral on social media platforms leading top conservatives to share and applaud his comments.
What set Roberts off was a question by a British moderator about former President Donald Trump and if he were to be re-elected, would Trump threaten liberal democracy — something the World Economic Forum says it exists to protect.
'Laughable'
"It's laughable that you or anyone would describe Davos as protecting liberal democracy,” Roberts began. "It's equally laughable to use the word ‘dictatorship’ at Davos and aim that at President Trump. In fact, I think that's absurd."
Roberts then went on to lambast the organization similar to remarks made earlier by Javier Milei, the explosive new president of Argentina.
"I'll be candid here, because I think I've been invited here to be candid," he said. "The kind of person who will come into the next conservative administration is going to be governed by one principle, and that is destroying the grasp that political elites and unelected technocrats have over the average person."
'Global Elites'
Roberts, who told Cowboy State Daily last summer that he still considers Lander, Wyoming, to be his home, then went on to list a number of concerns the “global elite” have outlined at their conference versus how “average people” see them.
At the top of his list was illegal immigration.
“Elites tell us that open border and illegal immigration are OK,” Roberts said. “The average person in the United States tell us that is has robbed us of the American way of life.”
Ditto for public safety. Elites have downplayed the increase of violent crime in the U.S. while average citizens know better, he said.
'Existential Nonsense'
Roberts was particularly animated over the claim that “so-called" climate change is an existential threat to the world.
“Climate alarmism is probably the greatest cause for mental health crisis in the world,” he said, adding that the recommended solutions, he said, are “far worse” than the problem itself.
“They are more harmful and cost more human lives, especially in Europe during the time that you need heating” he said.
'Gender Ideology'
Lastly, Roberts took aim at the World Health Organization for “foisting gender ideology upon the global south. These are practices that are under review, if not being rejected by countries in Northern Europe,” he said.
If re-elected, “President Trump will, as you like to say, trust the science, he will understand the basic biological reality of manhood and womanhood.”
'Awaken Lions'
Roberts wrapped up his remarks by mentioning Argentina’s Milei and his similarity to Trump.
“I think President Trump if, in fact, he wins a second term, is going to be inspired by the wise words of Javier Milie, who said that he was in power not to guide sheep, but to awaken lions,” he said. “That's what the average American and the average free person on planet Earth wants out of leaders.”
