Fox’s Maria Bartiromo Pushes Back on Trump’s Greenland Goals as She Confronts Scott Bessent at Davos

Maria Bartiromo, an anchor on Fox Business, interviewed Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on stage at World Economic Forum in Davos on Tuesday and pressed him on President Donald Trump’s highly contentious moves to try to take over Greenland from Denmark.

Bartiromo began the conversation with a pointed question on Greenland, “Secretary, let me begin on trade and tariffs, because President Trump seemed to set the tone of the conversation even before he has arrived by threatening tariffs on our European allies until they support his plans to acquire Greenland. How do you justify taking over a country when, in fact, Denmark and Greenland have said they are not interested?”

“Well, Maria, I think the president has a very strong view on Western Hemisphere security and believes that the U.S. should not outsource our national security. He believes that Greenland is essential for the Golden Dome missile shield,” Bessent replied, adding:

And he also—the president, as usual—it’s the move after the move that… As part of NATO, I think the president is worried that if there were an incursion into Greenland, the U.S. would be called upon to defend Greenland. Greenland’s becoming more and more attractive for foreign conquest, and he very strongly believes that it must be part of the United States to prevent a conflict rather than getting the U.S. engaged in, exposed to, a hot conflict.

Bartiromo followed up, “So Greenland is not expected to be able to have the capacity to stop any potential missiles that could hit the United States. In other words, Greenland without U.S. ownership makes the United States vulnerable. Is that the president’s main complaint?”

Bessent responded, “Well, I think it’s that, and that the U.S.—there’s the opportunity for the U.S. to become embroiled, exposed to, a kinetic war if another country moved in on Greenland. And no country is going to assert control of Greenland if the U.S. controls Greenland.”

Bartiromo pressed, “Secretary, what do you want to say about the response here? I mean, the European Union is pushing back, saying we are not going to complete our trade deal with the United States because of this. They have already called an emergency summit for later on in the week about this Greenland situation.”

Bessent replied, “Well, I would say exactly what I said after Liberation Day last April, when the president imposed tariff levels on the whole world. I tell everyone: sit back, take a deep breath, do not retaliate. Do NOT retaliate. The president will be here tomorrow, and he will get his message across. I believe he is going to have meetings, and again, also have an open mind. You know, why this rapid response in terms of, you know, ‘This is a no?’ And by the way, Maria, this has been in the minds of American presidents for more than 150 years—for more than 150 years.”

Bartiromo added, “So the vulnerability was seen even back then?”

“Well, or the strategic value of Greenland. And I think as there are more trade routes that move near Greenland, Greenland becomes more and more valuable,” Bessent concluded as the conversation turned to tariffs.

Watch the clip above via Fox Business Network’s Mornings with Maria.

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