The next is the transcript of an interview with GOP Rep. Mike Turner of Ohio that aired on “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan” on Jan. 18, 2026.
MARGARET BRENNAN: We’re joined now by Ohio Republican Congressman Mike Turner. He’s the top of the US delegation to NATO’s Parliamentary Meeting. Congressman Turner, I think about that a lot of these NATO companions are calling you proper now and saying, What’s the President doing with this risk of escalating tariffs in opposition to us until we hand over Greenland? What are you saying to them?
REP. TURNER: Margaret, as , that is, this, Greenland and the USA and America is just not a brand new difficulty. I imply, this- 5 occasions–
MARGARET BRENNAN: Threatening to invade it’s a new difficulty.
REP. TURNER: Proper. It definitely is a brand new difficulty. 5 occasions, the USA has had a dialogue about Greenland all the way in which again to the 1800s, 4 occasions within the 1900s, and the President’s raised it twice. Now we have a 1951 protection settlement with respect to a presence that we’ve a navy presence there. The President’s not flawed if there is a nationwide safety difficulty. With respect to- to Greenland.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Senator Warner stated there was no direct risk apart from from the USA.
REP. TURNER: However there are nationwide safety points there–
MARGARET BRENNAN: Usually within the Arctic.
REP. TURNER: Within the Arctic itself, and with respect to Greenland. However there definitely is not any authority that the United- that the President has to make use of navy power to grab territory from a NATO nation. And definitely that is problematic that the President has made this assertion and has triggered pressure among the many alliance, and there definitely goes to be continuation of a dialogue amongst all of our allies as to what may this imply. And definitely folks must have some understanding of what are the essential ideas. America nonetheless is for democracy. America nonetheless is for self dedication of individuals for sovereignty of different nations. And, and that is definitely our fundamental ideas and values. And definitely, I feel this does put in danger, we’re seeing from our allies, their response. They’re very involved about Trump’s response, and this, it is placing in danger, I feel, Trump’s peace ideas, with respect to Gaza, with respect to Ukraine and Russia, his management amongst our allies, as a result of he wants our allies for being a base for his capability to rally. And definitely one among his ideas of commerce and his capability to assist our economic system, it is put in danger his EU negotiations–
MARGARET BRENNAN: Sure. He is– They’re threatening to explode the commerce deal.
REP. TURNER: There- he had a monumental cope with the EU the place he’s going to go to zero tariffs with the EU, that is in danger. So definitely, folks, persons are involved. He has prospectively stated that he’s going to impose these tariffs. So there may be, I feel, this time period the place there shall be a dialog and dialogue.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Properly, there was, this previous week. There was the diplomatic that means, and the end result afterwards was the President put this tweet up saying he is placing within the tariffs. So it did not appear the diplomacy truly went anyplace.
REP. TURNER: Properly, and there, I feel there will definitely be a dialogue. Actually the, the American public are, I feel, are questioning–
MARGARET BRENNAN: Yeah, properly you noticed our ballot, shared it with you. 70% of People disapprove of utilizing funds to purchase Greenland. 86% disapprove of him utilizing navy power to take it. How do you justify and clarify his technique when each our allies and People say no?
REP. TURNER: I feel folks would like a deal with the economic system as an alternative of a deal with Greenland itself. I feel definitely in Congress, , we’re attempting to make sure we get the finances deal by, and we do not have a shutdown. And as we glance to the President’s proposal on nationwide safety, we take a look at his proposal on growing our protection finances, and that is how we definitely need to–
MARGARET BRENNAN: Is it authorized for him to even attempt to use tariffs on this means? I imply, Congress may claw again this authority for those who needed to place a verify on him.
REP. TURNER: Properly, Article One, Part Eight, does reserve to Congress worldwide commerce and the Worldwide Emergency Financial Powers Act on a really restricted foundation, delegates to the president the power to do some sanctions. And at the moment earlier than the Supreme Court docket, there may be this difficulty. It is whether or not or not he even has the authority to do tariffs in any respect. Now, relying upon how the Supreme Court docket guidelines, they might discover he would not even have tariff authority, however even when he’s discovered to have tariff authority, I do not consider he has the power to impose tariffs for the needs of compelling different nations to promote the USA land for the individual, however for the needs of us increasing. Now on this difficulty–
MARGARET BRENNAN: What number of Republicans are with you on that?
REP. TURNER: Properly–
MARGARET BRENNAN: As a result of Speaker Johnson was in the UK telling everybody that the President is simply taking part in chess right here.
REP. TURNER: Properly, –
MARGARET BRENNAN: You take him significantly, and in case you are, then what do you do?
REP. TURNER: I– there definitely are nationwide safety points. The President having recognized this with respect to the actual fact of that is the Golden Dome, and that there are places which are going to be essential with respect to the operations Golden Dome is totally an important difficulty. And the Golden Dome goes to be very, crucial. Now we have different places which are important, vital infrastructure total, the place that we do not personal, and I feel definitely Greenland and the Greenlanders must resolve their future and their consequence. I feel that is extra of a difficulty of asking them to hitch us, versus Artwork of the Deal. This does not–
MARGARET BRENNAN: — However we have already got the power to do so much. And what’s so baffling to European allies, and I do know you have heard this from them as properly, they despatched these troops to Greenland to indicate that they’ll defend Greenland in opposition to these threats. And but the president interpreted that not as assist from our NATO allies, however as a risk from our NATO allies. Does he perceive how NATO works?
REP. TURNER: And that- that’s certainly- I feel you know- and when you- whenever you look at- on the fact- that, , of the- of the allies that he is speaking about placing a tariff on, seven of them are F-35 companions. Three of them, we’ve US nuclear weapons on their soil. And 5 of them, we’ve everlasting troops on their soil. These aren’t simply informal allies. These are very robust allies. And that is, if we’re speaking about Greenland, , this isn’t artwork of the deal. That is extra the courting sport. I imply, we have to be extra on, , how we’d be a companion, no more how we’d be obligatory. And this definitely is not the kind of language that somebody ought to be utilizing and attempting to ask somebody to hitch you in a partnership.
MARGARET BRENNAN: So all these technical factors I take, however you additionally take a look at this from the opposite lens, which is Senator Murkowski stated that that is making a dynamic that advantages Vladimir Putin, “by threatening the steadiness of the strongest coalition of democracies the world has ever seen.” Even with out doing something apart from a tweet, threatening the alliance-
REP. TURNER: Properly the factor is- what’s regarding to me is that this. We’re not in Germany–
MARGARET BRENNAN: — Would not it profit Russia right here?–
REP. TURNER: — Properly, and likewise, we’re not simply in Germany to defend the NATO alliance. We’re in Germany to defend Israel and Africa and the Center East. Our worldwide footprint is our worldwide energy. I imply, the presidency’s authority, his capability to undertaking energy is- is our NATO alliance, the strongest alliance on this planet. To threaten the NATO alliance to say, properly we’ll simply pack up and go residence means that- that the USA would not have the power to undertaking energy. The power for the USA president to do issues to learn anybody all over the world is to be all over the world. It means to have the ability to have companions. Means to have the ability to do operations. Nearly each operation that this President has achieved over the previous 12 months has partially, been achieved out of and with, and together with, the bases that we’ve in Europe and in NATO.
MARGARET BRENNAN: However the Treasury Secretary stated in one other community, the President believes enhanced safety is just not attainable with out Greenland being a part of the USA. They’re being very clear.
REP. TURNER: And I really consider that it’s that, , the President can proceed the- the problem of engagement, however presidential need would not translate into presidential authority.
MARGARET BRENNAN: We are going to depart it there. Congressman Turner, thanks to your time at this time. We’ll be proper again.
