When a president of the United States travels, it is common to see the Air Force One and the presidential limousine, “The Beast”. But the arrival of Donald Trump to the World Economic Forum raises the bar. also in this. The security in Davos (Switzerland) is moving in what military and intelligence sources describe as a protocol of “paranoid” level: duplicated planes, helicopters in formation, cloned vehicles, special forces and millimeter coordination.
Trump attends this meeting that gives so much talk about who pulls the strings and, for the third time. The conference is held from January 19 to 23but neither the date nor the exact time of arrival are usually made public.
The reason is minimize any risk. And this year, the context weighs more than ever after the assassination attempts suffered during the 2024 US presidential campaign, one of them just inches from his head.
A trip prepared weeks before
The arrival begins long before Trump sets foot in Switzerland. Air Force One lands in Zurich, although it does not always do so alone. In 2020 they arrived two presidential planes, a common practice to mislead and ensure operational redundancy. Today, the term Air Force One is used generically for aircraft configured for presidential transportation.
It is not just any plane, starting with its price, estimated at about 2,650 million dollars (about 2,260 million euros). This armored with military technologycan jam enemy radars, launch flares to deflect missiles, and refuel in mid-flight, allowing it to remain in the air for hours or days.
In an extreme scenario, acts as a mobile command center. Inside there are about 370 square meters spread over three levels, with a presidential suite, a conference room and a fully operational operating room.
Days—sometimes weeks—before the cargo planeslike the C-17 Globemaster or the C-5M Super Galaxywhich carry armored vehicles, helicopters and armed personnel. In fact, one of these planes had already landed in Zurich at the beginning of December as part of the preliminary mission.
Cloned helicopters and closed skies
From Zurich, Trump He usually travels to Davos by helicopter if time permits. The most common model is the Sikorsky VH-3D Sea Kingofficially known as Marine One when transporting the president. They fly in formations of three, exchanging positions so that no one knows with certainty which one the leader is in.
The air escort includes Osprey MV-22tiltrotor aircraft capable of transporting special forces and intelligence agents. On previous visits, the air delegation included up to eight helicopters.
During the Forum, Switzerland imposes a almost 50 kilometer no-fly zone around Davos. The landing takes place at a temporary heliport installed next to the lake, designed expressly for the event.
If time goes wrong, enter “The Beast”
When the weather is not good, the transfer is made by road in the famous presidential limousine. Officially, it is called Cadillac Onebut everyone knows her as “The Beast”, and it costs 1.3 million dollars. Weighs around nine tons, has a body and armored windowssatellite communication systems and own oxygen supply.
According to different journalistic investigations, even transports blood reserves compatible with the president’s blood group.
Nothing travels alone. Cars are cloned. Two or three identical limousines advance in convoy alongside SUVs with anti-terrorist units, vehicles with radars and weapons detectors, an ambulance and Swiss police patrols. In 2020, the caravan in Davos included 29 vehicles.
The hotel of rumors
Everything indicates that Trump will stay again at the Alpengold Hotel, as on previous visits. It is less than a kilometer from the helicopter landing point. A persistent rumor has been circulating for years: a secret floor of the hotel, capable of operating autonomously in case of emergency. The managers have never confirmed it, but they have not denied it either.
Swiss Army and “Nuclear Football”
Protection does not fall only in the United States. Thousands of Swiss police and military are deployed during the World Economic Forum. Controls, snipers, electronic surveillance and coordination permanent with the American secret services.
There is a detail that summarizes the magnitude of the operation: Trump always travels with the codes to authorize a nuclear attack. They go in a briefcase officially known as the Presidential Emergency Briefcase, although it is popularly called the “Nuclear Football.” A military assistant carries it a few meters from the president at all times.
In Davos, every move is calculated. Nothing is improvised. Because when the president of the United States arrives, security stops being visible and becomes omnipresent.
