Treasury Secretary Bessent: Pursuing control of Greenland has been a long-term America goal

Watch on YouTube ↗  |  January 20, 2026 at 12:22  |  7:05  |  CNBC
Speakers
Scott Bessent — Treasury Secretary
Joe Kernen — Co-Anchor, Squawk Box

Summary

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent speaks with Joe Kernen at Davos about the Trump administration's push to acquire Greenland, framing it as a long-standing US strategic goal tied to the Golden Dome and NATO burden-sharing. Bessent defends the US economy and the One Big Beautiful Bill's tax policies, dismisses concerns that Europeans will sell US assets, and highlights a critical minerals summit aimed at reducing China's chokehold. The conversation also covers tariffs, European decision-making, and energy purchases linked to Russian oil.

  • Bessent says Greenland has been a long-term US strategic goal and is important for the Golden Dome.
  • He argues the US has borne most NATO defense costs and Europeans should pay their fair share.
  • He rejects media hysteria about Europeans selling US assets, calling the US a reliable partner.
  • He praises US economic strength, tax deals, full expensing, and expected record tax refunds.
  • He highlights a critical minerals summit with G7, Mexico, India, South Korea, and Australia.
  • He urges calm on tariffs and possible European retaliation, saying Trump has a strategy.
  • He criticizes Europe for slow decisions and buying refined products made from Russian oil.
Ideas
Scott Bessent Treasury Secretary 4:01
US reliable partner; own US assets.
Bessent rejects the media narrative that Europeans will sell US assets because the US is an unreliable partner. He asserts that the US is a reliable partner, implying that US assets should remain supported despite geopolitical noise.
US assets MED
Scott Bessent Treasury Secretary 4:04
Counter China's critical minerals chokehold.
Bessent hosted a critical minerals summit with G7 partners, Mexico, India, South Korea, and Australia to accelerate non-China supply chains and reduce China's chokehold on critical minerals. This makes the non-China critical minerals theme a policy priority and a monitoring setup.
REMX MED
Joe Kernen Co-Anchor, Squawk Box 5:54
US macro strength supports stocks.
Kernen argues the US is not in dire straits: the stock market is at new highs, GDP is at multi-year highs, unemployment is near full employment, inflation is down to 2.7%, the border is secure, trade deals are being struck, and trillions of dollars of investment are flowing into the US. This supports a bullish US equities view.
SPY MED
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This CNBC video, published January 20, 2026, features Scott Bessent, Joe Kernen discussing US assets, REMX, SPY. 3 trade ideas extracted by AI with direction and confidence scoring.

Speakers: Scott Bessent, Joe Kernen  · Tickers: US assets, REMX, SPY