Why Trump was late at White House press conference amid Davos chaos. Revealed

Trump’s White House briefing appearance with Karoline Leavitt started late due to a delay. He was a special guest marking one year in office since Jan 2025.

Updated on: Jan 21, 2026, 24:58:46 IST

By Shamik Banerjee

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President Donald Trump, who was scheduled to appear for the White House press briefing on Tuesday alongside press secretary Karoline Leavitt was slightly delayed, resulting in the press conference starting late.

U.S. President Donald Trump walks from Marine One to the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., January 20. (REUTERS)

The White House press briefing schedule on Tuesday had announced Trump as a “special guest,” on the occasion of the 79-year-old completing one year in office since taking over in January 2025.

Why Was Trump Late?

The President has a tight schedule on Tuesday and Wednesday, with the Davos World Economic Forum ongoing, where he is slated to speak on Wednesday, January 21. The President was delayed as he was flying into Washington and arrived in the city later.

The White House press briefing was supposed to start at 1:00 p.m. ET. However, the briefing had not started by 1:45 p.m. ET - marking more than 45 minutes of delay.

The photographers with the White House press pool have photographed Trump alighting Marine One and entering the White House. The press briefing is also expected to start soon.

Also read: US Supreme Court defers ruling on Trump's tariffs

What Trump Spoke About

The press address at the White House, though on the occasion of Trump's one year in office, saw POTUS launch a scathing attack on the Democrat administration in Minnesota, especially Governor Tim Walz and the Minneapolis Mayor, Jacob Frey.

Minnesota is seeing massive protests against the federal immigration raids on illegal Somali immigrants in several cities, as per the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The protests have escalated significantly since the death of Renee Nicole Good, a 37-year-old woman, in a shooting involving ICE agent, Jonathan Ross.

Taking on the situation in Minnesota on Tuesday, Trump displayed a series of mugshots of alleged illegal immigrants in Minnesota, claiming the local administration is “protecting” them. He also spoke about the recent protest at Cities Church in St. Paul, Minnesota, including the role of former CNN anchor Don Lemon in it.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Shamik Banerjee
Shamik is a journalist covering the United States for Hindustan Times. He has more than four years of experience reporting on US politics, sports, and major breaking stories across fast-moving cycles. He previously worked at Times Now and Sportskeeda, building strong newsroom instincts and digital storytelling skills. At HT.com, he focuses on day-to-day coverage of US political developments while also handling high-impact stories that demand speed, accuracy, clarity, and context under pressure. Shamik has extensive experience covering NFL game days over the past two years, coordinating live updates, analysis, and explainers. He is particularly drawn to large news moments such as US elections and the Super Bowl, where he thrives at the news desk working alongside the team. He holds degrees in Media Studies from Jamia Millia Islamia and English Literature from Jadavpur University. Before entering journalism, he briefly worked in digital marketing and political consultancy roles. Currently a Senior Content Producer at HT Digital, he is driven by curiosity, discipline, and a constant desire to explore new and obscure topics. Outside work, he enjoys reading, films, sports, and learning continuously.Read More

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