Davos (Somalia Today) – A spokesperson for Eric Trump on Tuesday firmly denied reports of a formal diplomatic meeting with Somaliland President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi last week, clarifying that only brief “pleasantries were exchanged” in a crowded room, directly contradicting the narrative the breakaway region’s leadership promoted.
Coming five days after the alleged January 22 encounter, the denial casts a shadow over the Somaliland delegation’s efforts to project a diplomatic breakthrough on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum (WEF), where officials from the self-declared republic sought to cement their case for international recognition.
While widely circulated photographs showed Abdullahi—commonly known as “Irro”—shaking hands with the son of U.S. President Donald Trump, the Trump Organization moved on Tuesday to definitively quash suggestions that any substantive talks took place.
‘Pleasantries were exchanged’
“At no point did [Eric Trump] ever have a meeting with the Somaliland president. Nor, at any point did he discuss a port,” said Kimberly Benza, a spokesperson for Eric Trump, in a statement Tuesday.
Benza emphasized that the encounter occurred in a room with over 100 people and that Eric Trump did not acknowledge or comment on the Somaliland president’s speech.
“Pleasantries were exchanged, that is it,” she added.
The sharp rebuttal follows days of claims by the Somaliland government, which had briefed international outlets suggesting a successful engagement regarding the strategic port of Berbera.
Somaliland officials told Reuters that the encounter with Trump and others went “very well,” and a Reuters reporter saw Abdullahi enter the room where Eric Trump and Israeli President Isaac Herzog were present.
The denial suggests that despite the photo opportunity and remarks to international media, the trip may not have yielded the U.S. commercial or political engagement Hargeisa had hoped to project.
The clarification has fueled reports from Mogadishu challenging the legitimacy of Abdullahi’s presence at the elite gathering.
According to information Somalia Today obtained, the Somaliland leader received no official invitation to the World Economic Forum itself. Instead, reports indicate the delegation rented a hotel near the gathering to stage sideline engagements in an effort to gain proximity to world leaders.
Sources familiar with the events allege that Abdullahi managed to enter a closed-door dinner last Wednesday where he maneuvered to secure photographs with high-profile attendees.
Following the event, his team reportedly briefed international media, including Reuters and the BBC, with what critics call “false information” to portray the brief, informal encounter as a high-stakes diplomatic summit.
‘Embarrassment’ to the region
The disparity between the official photos and the Tuesday denial from the Trump team drew criticism from observers in the region.
“This was an embarrassment to fake a nonexistent meeting,” said Ahmed Abdi, a political analyst based in Mogadishu. “Attempting to manufacture legitimacy through staged photo-ops only undermines the credibility of the region’s leadership on the world stage.”
Abdi noted that such maneuvers could backfire, damaging trust with international partners who expect transparency in diplomatic dealings.
Despite the controversy surrounding the Trump encounter, President Abdullahi held a confirmed meeting with Israeli President Isaac Herzog at the same event on January 22. Herzog wrote on social media, “It was a pleasure to meet my counterpart.”
Israel recently became the first UN member state to recognize Somaliland’s sovereignty, a move that drew sharp condemnation from the central government in Somalia, which regards Somaliland as an integral part of its territory.
African Union members and regional powers including Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey have also publicly opposed the recognition, affirming support for Somalia’s territorial unity.
During the dinner, video footage captured Abdullahi making a short address to the room, pitching investment in the strategic deep-sea port of Berbera.
“For 24 years, Somaliland has been stable, democratic, peaceful, ready for business,” he told the diners, holding a microphone in the video reviewed by reporters.
Somaliland, situated by the Gulf of Aden, declared independence from Somalia in 1991. While it has maintained relative peace and stability compared to its southern neighbor, it has struggled for decades to gain international recognition.
