Bessent Says Supreme Court Unlikely To Block Trump Tariffs
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Sunday it is “very unlikely” the Supreme Court will overturn President Donald J. Trump’s use of emergency powers to impose tariffs — a ruling that could come as soon as this week, with major implications for the president’s economic and national security agenda.
“I believe that it is very unlikely that the Supreme Court will overrule a president’s signature economic policy,” Bessent said during an appearance on Meet the Press. “They did not overrule Obamacare. I believe that the Supreme Court does not want to create chaos.”
Bessent’s comments come as the high court weighs a challenge to President Trump’s use of emergency authority to impose tariffs under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), a statute that grants the president sweeping power to respond to what it defines as an “unusual and extraordinary threat.”
Last month, the Supreme Court upheld a key provision of the Affordable Care Act allowing a federal panel to recommend preventive services insurers must cover at no cost to patients, CNBC reported — a decision Bessent cited as evidence that the Court is reluctant to dismantle major federal policy frameworks.
The Treasury secretary’s remarks followed President Trump’s announcement of a new round of tariffs targeting European goods until what he described as “a Deal is reached for the Complete and Total purchase of Greenland.” While Trump did not formally cite the statute he is invoking, the move mirrors earlier “liberation day” tariffs imposed under IEEPA.
Under the plan, tariffs on goods from Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and Finland will begin at 10 percent on Feb. 1 and rise to 25 percent on June 1.
President Trump has argued that only the United States possesses the economic, military, and strategic capacity to secure Greenland and counter rising geopolitical threats in the Arctic.
“We have subsidized Denmark, and all of the Countries of the European Union, and others, for many years by not charging them Tariffs, or any other forms of remuneration,” Trump wrote. “Now, after centuries, it is time for Denmark to give back.”
The tariffs will apply not only to Denmark, but also to Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, and the United Kingdom — all of which have pledged to deploy military forces to Greenland in support of Danish sovereignty. According to Trump, those moves have dangerously escalated tensions in a strategically vital region.
“This is a very dangerous situation for the safety, security, and survival of our planet,” Trump wrote. “These countries have put a level of risk in play that is not tenable or sustainable.”
The Supreme Court is expected to rule before the end of its current term on whether President Trump’s use of IEEPA to impose tariffs falls within the law’s broad emergency authorities, though a decision could come as early as this week.
Bessent defended the administration’s approach, framing the tariffs as a preemptive measure to prevent global conflict.
“The national emergency is avoiding a national emergency,” Bessent said. “It is a strategic decision by the president. He is able to use the economic might of the U.S. to avoid a hot war.”
President Trump has long expressed interest in acquiring Greenland, an autonomous territory of Denmark, and has intensified pressure for a U.S. takeover in recent weeks. Leaders in Greenland, Denmark, and across Europe have rejected the proposal.
In a joint statement released Sunday, leaders from Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, and the United Kingdom warned that tariff threats could damage transatlantic relations.
“We stand in full solidarity with the Kingdom of Denmark and the people of Greenland,” the statement said, adding that any dialogue must respect sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio met last week at the White House with Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen and Greenland Foreign Affairs Minister Vivian Motzfeldt. Following the meeting, U.S. and Danish officials said they would establish a high-level working group to discuss Greenland’s future.
The Trump administration maintains that acquiring Greenland is essential to U.S. national security, citing expanding Russian and Chinese influence in the Arctic as a growing threat.
CNBC reported that it has contacted both the White House and the Treasury Department seeking clarification on the precise legal authority President Trump is using to impose the new tariffs.