Bessent Defends Trump’s European Tariffs, Calls Them a Move to “Avoid a National Emergency”

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Sunday defended President Donald Trump’s decision to impose new tariffs on eight European nations, claiming the move was necessary to prevent a broader crisis.

“The national emergency is avoiding a national emergency,” Bessent said during an appearance on NBC’s Meet the Press. “It is a strategic decision by the president. This is a geopolitical decision. And he is able to use the economic might of the U.S. to avoid a hot war. So why wouldn’t we do that?”

Bessent discussed with host Kristen Welker the administration’s decision to levy tariffs against Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and Finland—all nations that have expressed support for Greenland. Trump has maintained that the United States must acquire the Arctic territory and has not ruled out using military force to do so.

President Trump is being strategic,” Bessent argued. “He is looking beyond this year, beyond next year, to what could happen in a future Arctic confrontation. We are not going to outsource our national or hemispheric security to other countries. America has to be in control here.”

Trump announced the 10 percent tariffs on Saturday, warning they could rise to 25 percent by June 1 if Greenland remains outside U.S. control.

French President Emmanuel Macron on Sunday urged European nations to use their collective economic influence to retaliate against Washington’s actions—a stance echoed by other EU leaders. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen welcomed European solidarity, declaring, “Europe will not be blackmailed.”

Greenland, an autonomous territory belonging to Denmark, has become a flashpoint in Trump’s second-term trade and foreign policy agenda.

The president’s aggressive tariff strategy has drawn multiple legal challenges, with critics arguing he has overstepped congressional authority by imposing what amount to taxes on American consumers.

Bessent, however, said he did not expect those challenges—now before the Supreme Court—to succeed. “I believe it is very unlikely that the Supreme Court will overrule a president’s signature economic policy,” he said. “They did not overrule Obamacare. I believe the Supreme Court does not want to create chaos.”