The Financial Times reports that Howard Lutnick was heckled at a World Economic Forum dinner in Davos hosted by BlackRock chairman Larry Fink. The FT says Lutnick's remarks prompted jeering, departures and appeals for calm from Fink, but offered no details on the comments or the hecklers. Reuters could not independently verify the FT account. Editor's note: early reports misidentified Lutnick as a U.S. official; he is the CEO of Cantor Fitzgerald.
Howard Lutnick Heckled at Davos Dinner Hosted by BlackRock's Larry Fink, FT Reports
U.S. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick attends a session during the 56th annual World Economic Forum (WEF) meeting in Davos, Switzerland, January 20, 2026. REUTERS/Denis Balibouse
Jan 21 (Reuters) - Howard Lutnick was reportedly heckled at a World Economic Forum dinner in Davos on Tuesday evening that was hosted by BlackRock chairman Larry Fink, the Financial Times said on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the matter.
According to the FT, Lutnick's remarks prompted widespread jeering, some guests left the room, and Fink appealed for calm. The report did not provide specifics about Lutnick's comments or exactly what hecklers shouted.
Reuters could not independently verify the Financial Times' account. Neither the U.S. Commerce Department nor the World Economic Forum immediately responded to requests for comment.
Editor’s note: Some early wire text versions of this story misidentified Lutnick as the U.S. Commerce Secretary. That appears to be incorrect. Howard Lutnick is the chairman and CEO of Cantor Fitzgerald. We have corrected the designation in this report and will update if further information emerges.
(Reporting by Ananya Palyekar in Bengaluru; Editing by Andrew Heavens)
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