Treasury secretary defends Greenland tariffs: 'The national emergency is avoiding the national emergency'

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: NBC News

Jan. 18, 2026, 9:58 AM EST / Updated Jan. 18, 2026, 10:52 AM EST


WASHINGTON — Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent defended proposed tariffs targeting eight European countries that oppose President Donald Trump’s push to acquire Greenland, telling NBC News’ “Meet the Press” that the goal is to avoid a future national emergency.

Throughout his second term, Trump has moved to impose sweeping tariffs on countries around the world by citing the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, or IEEPA, which allows a president to regulate imports during emergencies.

Asked by moderator Kristen Welker what national emergency justifies tariffs against countries that oppose Trump’s Greenland ambitions, Bessent argued that “the national emergency is avoiding a national emergency.” “It is a strategic decision by the president,” he said. “This is a geopolitical decision, and he is able to use the economic might of the U.S. to avoid a hot war.”

Trump said Saturday that he would hit imports from Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Finland with a 10% tariff that he said would increase to 25% on June 1 if a deal isn’t reached to purchase the territory. His comments came as the Supreme Court was expected to issue a ruling on Trump’s use of IEEPA to impose tariffs.

Read more: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/trump-administration/treasury-secretary-bessent-tariffs-national-emergency-greenland-eu-rcna254650

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“the national emergency is avoiding a national emergency.”

The bought and paid-for 6 need to smack this down quick, fast, and in a hurry. ENOUGH.

[LetMyPeopleVote]

1. Hopefully SCOTUS will see this and take notice

The use of tariffs for personal goals hurts trump's case for these tariffs

[underpants]

2. That's some catch that Trump-22

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100220948552

a dilemma or difficult circumstance from which there is no escape because of mutually conflicting or dependent conditions.
"a catch-22 situation"

[erronis]

6. As I said on your post: This is like hedging against the future by destroying the present.

That way the future can only get better.

Nose spites face.

[Lovie777]

3. The constant bullshit lying never ever ends.....................

[C_U_L8R]

4. Bessant seems to have developed an echo

Guess that happens with your head firmly implanted in your ass.

[GiqueCee]

5. It's hard to imagine...

... that Greenland's strategic value – beyond what we already have in existing bases – could justify the attempted destruction of NATO (thanks to Mr. Putin's firm grip on the Orange Hellbeast's gonads), dissolution of multiple treaties, and the loss of allies who have been our friends for 200 years, and will likely never trust us again.
But then, we are dealing with an unhinged, and unrestrained infantile ego that will hold his breath until he turns purple, then blame the world for making him do it.
And Republicans already use the Constitution as toilet paper when it inconveniences them. Who can forget Dubya's tantrum, "Stop throwing the Constitution in my face! It's just a piece of paper!"
And it's sad, but we know that the Republican Party has NO honor at all, but they must have some sense of self-preservation. That goes double for the Sinister Six on the Supreme Court. The specter of impeachment is an eventuality that they should take VERY seriously. Don't wanna be standing in front of that cannon.
Popcorn, anyone?

[Turbineguy]

7. Rumsfeld was better at this sort of thing.

[darkstar]

8. Hahaha!

[BumRushDaShow]

9. Damn. That's true!!!

[WestMichRad]

10. The good news regarding the threatened escalating tariffs is....

TACO. When he finally gets the message that European nations will just stop trade of many things with the U.S., he’ll chicken out.

[reACTIONary]

11. He could avoid a "hot war" by....

..... simply shutting up.

[Roy Rolling]

12. National Emergency?

MAGAts elected a national emergency masquerading as a human.

Just STFU already National Emergency Enablers.

[Aussie105]

13. Onion headline (pretend).

Leaders from different countries plan to follow Trump's take-over of Greenland!

China takes Taiwan.
Indonesia takes Hawaii.
Australia takes New Zealand.
Spain takes Algeria.
Israel takes Palestine.

Finally: Aliens take over the world! (Yes, they are watching.)

[BumRushDaShow]

14. And don't forget the real pretext

Russia takes Ukraine (and Belarus and Lithuania and Latvia and Estonia and Finland and Georgia and Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan and Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan).

[2naSalit]

15. He sounds like...

What's his face rumsfeld!