Treasury Secretary Says Supreme Court Unlikely To Block Trump Tariffs
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the Supreme Court is unlikely to block President Donald Trump’s use of emergency powers to impose sweeping new tariffs, suggesting a ruling could come as early as this week.
Speaking Sunday on Meet the Press, Bessent dismissed the idea that the high court would overturn what he described as a cornerstone of Trump’s economic strategy.
“I believe that it is very unlikely that the Supreme Court will overrule a president’s signature economic policy,” Bessent said. “They did not overrule Obamacare. I believe that the Supreme Court does not want to create chaos.”
His comments follow a recent Supreme Court decision upholding a key provision of the Affordable Care Act that allows a federal panel to mandate certain preventive services be covered by insurers at no cost, according to CNBC.
Bessent’s remarks also came one day after President Trump announced a new round of tariffs on European goods, tying the action to what he called the need for a “Deal” involving Greenland. Trump said the tariffs will remain in place until the United States secures what he described as the “Complete and Total purchase of Greenland.”
While Trump has not publicly cited a specific statute, the move closely mirrors earlier “liberation day” tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), which grants the president broad authority to respond to national emergencies.
Under the plan, tariffs on imports 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 by June 1.
Trump argued that the United States has long subsidized European nations by refraining from tariffs, despite bearing a disproportionate share of global security responsibilities.
“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 president also pointed to recent pledges by several European countries to deploy military forces to Greenland in support of Danish sovereignty, warning that those moves have heightened geopolitical risks in the Arctic.
“This is a very dangerous situation for the safety, security, and survival of our planet,” Trump said. “These countries have put a level of risk in play that is not tenable or sustainable.”
The Supreme Court is expected to issue a ruling on Trump’s use of IEEPA before the end of its term, though legal analysts say a decision could be announced at any time. The statute allows the president to deploy economic measures in response to what it defines as an “unusual and extraordinary threat.”
Bessent said the administration views the Greenland-related tariffs as a preventive measure designed to avoid future 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 pursued the acquisition of Greenland for years, arguing that U.S. control of the strategically located, resource-rich territory is essential to counter growing Russian and Chinese influence in the Arctic. That effort has intensified in recent weeks, despite firm resistance from leaders in Greenland, Denmark, and across Europe.
In a joint statement released Sunday, leaders from Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, and the United Kingdom criticized the tariff threat, warning it could undermine transatlantic relations.
“We stand in full solidarity with the Kingdom of Denmark and the people of Greenland,” the statement said, adding that any discussions 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 Løkke Rasmussen and Greenland’s Foreign Affairs Minister Vivian Motzfeldt. Following the meeting, officials said the two sides agreed to establish a high-level working group to discuss Greenland’s future.
The Trump administration maintains that securing Greenland is a national security imperative, citing expanding military and economic activity by Russia and China in the Arctic region.
CNBC reported that it has contacted both the White House and the Treasury Department seeking clarification on the precise legal authority being used to impose the new tariffs.