The Kentucky senator argued that emergency powers cannot be used to impose tariffs aimed at forcing Greenland’s transfer, urging Congress to reassert its constitutional role.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
Sen. Rand Paul said Sunday that there is no emergency that would justify President Donald Trump’s proposal to impose tariffs to force the sale of Greenland to the United States, warning that the use of emergency powers in this context would undermine constitutional checks and balances.
Paul made the remarks during a bipartisan appearance with Sen. Tim Kaine on NBC’s Meet the Press, according to the program’s transcript.
“What I do isn’t anti-Trump,” Paul said. “My opinions are the same as they’ve been under President Biden, President Obama. I have not changed my opinions. Emergency powers are for emergencies. They should be short-lived. And we can’t throw out all of the Constitution’s rules on where taxes originate because someone declares an emergency.”
He added, “There’s no emergency with Greenland. That’s ridiculous.”
Paul was responding to comments made earlier on the program by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who said Trump would rely on emergency powers to enact tariffs on Greenland and several European countries that oppose transferring the island to U.S. control.
“Now we’re declaring emergencies to prevent emergencies?” Paul said. “That would lead to endless emergencies, and that’s kind of where we are now. The tariff war, we’ve declared emergencies with 130 countries. Does anyone really believe that’s a valid use of emergencies?”
Paul and Kaine have previously worked together on issues related to executive authority. The two senators recently launched a joint effort to limit Trump’s ability to pursue further military action in Venezuela, an initiative that failed after Republican Sens. Josh Hawley and Todd Young reversed their positions following pressure from Trump.
Paul said Sunday that the separation of powers dates back to the Constitutional Convention and the Federalist Papers, with the Founding Fathers deliberately placing the authority to declare war in Congress rather than the presidency.
“It’s important not only because of Venezuela and what can or may still occur down there, but it’s the predicate then for Greenland, for Cuba, for Colombia, for Iran, all of these other threats,” Paul said. “It’s up to Congress, not the president, to determine when to go to war.”
He pointed to historical precedent, noting that congressional authorization followed direct attacks on the United States. “When we’ve been attacked, we’ve been pretty united,” Paul said. “After Pearl Harbor, Congress was nearly unanimous; after 9/11, Congress was nearly unanimous, and that’s the way it’s supposed to work.”
Kaine said lawmakers were considering several responses to Trump’s Greenland strategy, including filing another War Powers Resolution or challenging the proposed tariffs. “Sen. Paul and I have worked together on similar tariff challenges in the past, and I think you will expect to see a number of senators join in an anti-tariff resolution filed right when we get back,” Kaine said.
Kaine also said it would be illegal for a president to suspend U.S. participation in NATO or withdraw from the alliance without congressional approval. “These discussions, they’re not helpful because they’re pushing allies away from us rather than forging the stronger relationships with allies that we need,” he said.
Paul said he has heard of no Republican support for invading Greenland, even among what he described as the GOP’s “most hawkish members,” but criticized Trump’s rhetoric on the issue.
“As far as trying to buy it peacefully, you don’t get purchasers to come around by berating them and telling them you’ll take it anyway,” Paul said.
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