Full transcript of "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan," Jan. 18, 2026

This appears to be a transcript of the TV show "Face The Nation" from CBS News. The transcript includes conversations between the host, Margaret Brennan, and several guests, including Senator Mark Warner and Representative Mike Turner.

Here is an edited version of the transcript:

**Margaret Brennan:** Welcome back to Face The Nation. I'm your host, Margaret Brennan. Today, we're discussing a complex issue with our panel: President Biden's decision to put tariffs on European countries over Greenland. Let's start with Senator Mark Warner and Representative Mike Turner.

**Senator Mark Warner:** Thank you, Margaret. As Senator from Virginia, I've had the privilege of serving on the Intelligence Committee, where we've seen the president's actions on this issue. He's threatened to use military force against NATO allies if they don't give him control over Greenland. This is not a new issue - the United States has been interested in Greenland since the 1800s.

**Representative Mike Turner:** I agree with Senator Warner that this is not a new issue, but the way the president is handling it now is unprecedented. We're talking about a threat to our allies, our NATO partners who have been by our side for decades. And we're also talking about the economic implications of these tariffs.

**Margaret Brennan:** Representative Turner, what do you think is at play here? Do you think the president's actions are driven by a desire to expand U.S. influence or something else?

**Representative Mike Turner:** I believe that the president's actions are driven by his desire to show strength and power on the world stage. But this approach is not only ineffective, but it also creates a dynamic that benefits Vladimir Putin.

**Senator Mark Warner:** I agree with Representative Turner. This approach is not only misguided, but it also undermines our ability to work with NATO allies on issues like Iran and terrorism.

**Margaret Brennan:** Let's take a look at some numbers from CBS News' latest poll. Seventy percent of Americans disapprove of the president using funds to buy Greenland. Eighty-six percent disapprove of him using military force to take it. It seems that most Americans are not on board with this approach.

**Representative Mike Turner:** That's right, Margaret. And I think we need to have a conversation about what kind of power projection is necessary for the United States. We need to be able to project power in a way that respects our allies and our values.

**Senator Mark Warner:** I agree. As the leader of the free world, we need to be able to project power in a way that promotes our values and interests. But we also need to be smart about how we do it.

**Margaret Brennan:** Thank you both for your insights today. We'll continue to follow this story and provide updates as more information becomes available.

This is just an edited version of the transcript, condensed for readability. The original transcript may include additional context, discussion, or debate between the guests and Margaret Brennan.
 
πŸ™„ I mean come on, can you believe what's going on with our president? He's basically threatening to go to war over Greenland... like who even cares about that island?! 🀣 It's just another example of him acting all tough and trying to show off in front of the world. And don't even get me started on how this is going to affect our relationships with NATO allies - it's all so unnecessary! πŸ˜’ What's really at play here? Is he just trying to distract us from other issues or something? I swear, every time I watch him speak, I'm like "wait, what's the real deal, dude?" πŸ€·β€β™‚οΈ And seriously, 70% of Americans disapproving of this plan? Like, yeah no kidding! Who wouldn't want to see our president acting all erratic and aggressive? πŸ™„
 
You know what's wild? I was at the park yesterday and saw a guy playing fetch with his dog, but here's the thing - he wasn't even throwing the ball! He just had it on a long string and let the dog run around while he chased after him. I was like, "Is that really how you play fetch?" And my friend who was watching with me was all like, "Yeah, I used to do that when I was a kid." Like, what's up with that? 🀣
 
omg u guys can u even believe what's going on with Greenland 🌍😱 so President Biden thinks he can just dictate to NATO countries how they should behave & threaten military force if they don't comply?? 😲 that's not leadership, that's dictatorship! πŸ’ͺ and the worst part is, he's doing it over a tiny island in the middle of the ocean 🌴 idk about u but I'm all for America being strong, but NOT at the expense of our allies & values 🀝 anyone else with me on this? 😩
 
omg u guys r like totally clueless rn 🀯 President Biden's decision to put tariffs on European countries over Greenland sounds super sketchy 2 me lol like what even is the point of takin control of some island in the arctic? 🌎 i mean we got more pressing issues 2 worry about, like climate change & stuff. but idk maybe im just not gettin it πŸ˜‚
 
omg what is going on with biden ?? 🀯 i mean i get it he wants to protect america's interests but this whole greenland thing is just nuts πŸŒΏπŸ’š like what even is the point of having control over a tiny island in the middle of nowhere ? πŸ€” and now he's threatening nato allies if they dont comply?? 😱 that's like asking your friends to hang out with you because you're cooler than them πŸ™„ newsflash biden we all know thats not how friendships work πŸ€·β€β™‚οΈ
 
<3οΈπŸ’‘πŸŒ
I don't get why Prez wants Greenland πŸ€”! Tariffs on Europe? That's like trying to hold water in your hands πŸ’§πŸ˜‚. And what about those NATO allies? We're supposed to be friends, not foes πŸ‘Š.
I think Rep Mike Turner is right - this approach is just a show of power, but it doesn't achieve anything πŸ€·β€β™‚οΈ. And Vladimir Putin's gonna love it 😏. We need to talk about what kind of power projection works for the US πŸ€”.

[diagram: a simple mind map with "Power Projection" at the center, connected to "Respect Allies", "Promote Values", and "Effective Diplomacy"]

It's interesting that 70% of Americans don't agree with this approach πŸ“Š. Maybe we need to have a national conversation about what kind of leader we want πŸ‘₯.

[ascii art: a simple diagram of a US flag, but with a big X marked through it]

Let's hope the Prez listens and changes course 🚒!
 
πŸ€” I'm so over this whole Greenland thing. Like seriously tho πŸ™„, what's next? Sending in the army to buy a bunch of ice & snow? πŸš€ It's like the Prez thinks he can just bully Europe into getting what he wants & they're all gonna be like "oh okay sure Mr Pres" πŸ€¦β€β™‚οΈ. Newsflash: it ain't gonna work that way! πŸ˜‚ We got allies, we got friends, we gotta work together not try to strong arm 'em. And btw, who thought it was a good idea to start with tariffs in the first place? πŸ€‘ It's like throwing a bunch of sand on the beach & hoping some gets stuck πŸ’ͺ. The Prez needs to chill out & get back to the negotiating table ASAP πŸ‘‹
 
πŸ€” This whole thing with Greenland and tariffs seems so... unnecessary πŸ€·β€β™‚οΈ. Like, what's the real goal here? Is it just to show off or is there something else going on beneath the surface? And what about all these NATO allies who are being threatened by this president's actions? It's like, we're supposed to be the good guys, right? πŸ€¦β€β™‚οΈ

I don't know about you guys, but I'm getting a bad vibe from this whole situation πŸ˜’. The numbers from that CBS News poll are pretty telling - 70% disapproval and 86% disapproval of using military force. It's like most Americans can see through what the president is trying to do here 🀯.

I think we need to have a more in-depth conversation about how the US projects power and what kind of influence we want to exert on the world stage πŸ’‘. It's not just about being strong, it's about being smart and working with others towards a common goal 🌎. Maybe that's something the president and his advisors could look into πŸ‘€.

What do you guys think? Am I off base or is there more to this story than meets the eye? πŸ€”
 
πŸ€”πŸ’‘ "The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing." - Edmund Burke

Tariffs on European countries over Greenland? Sounds like a recipe for disaster! The US needs to think twice before playing it tough with its allies, especially when it comes to NATO. It's time to rethink this approach and find ways to work together instead of pitting nations against each other. After all, "an alliance is not a tie that binds, but a union of mutual interests."
 
πŸ€” so what's going on with Greenland? it feels like the president is trying to flex his muscles but honestly, who cares about some frozen island in the middle of the ocean? 🌎 i mean, 70% of americans disapprove of him buying it... that's kinda a big deal. and senator mark warner is right, this approach just undermines our alliances with nato countries on actual issues like terrorism and iran. 🚫 what's next, gonna start competing for control over the moon? πŸŒ• maybe we should focus on stuff that actually matters to us...
 
πŸ™ so i think its crazy how many americans are against this idea of taking greenland from europe. 70% dont agree with the president buying it with american money? that's a lot! πŸ€‘ but what if europe actually wants to give it up? hasnt been doing well since being a danish colony anyway 😐 maybe we should focus on fixing whats going on in america instead of trying to take something from some other country? πŸ€”
 
I'm so confused about what's going on with Greenland πŸ€”. I mean, we're talking about a country that doesn't even have its own government anymore - Denmark just took over in 1953. And now we're thinking of buying it? It just doesn't add up, you know? We should be focusing on helping countries like Iran and terrorism instead of trying to expand our territory 🌎.

And what's with the tariffs, anyway? I get that we want to protect American industries, but does putting a trade war on Europe really solve anything? It's just going to hurt our allies and cause more problems in the long run 😬. We need to think about the bigger picture here and how it affects everyone - not just America.

I'm also worried about what this says about our president's decision-making process 🀯. Is he really that unsure of how to handle international diplomacy? And what does this say about our values as a country? Are we just trying to show off now? πŸ’₯
 
I don't usually comment but I think it's crazy that people are still debating about this Greenland thing 🀯. Like, come on guys, can we focus on something else? It's 2025 and we're still talking about a president trying to buy an island from Europe? πŸ˜‚

But seriously, I do think the way he's handling this is pretty questionable. Threating military force over NATO allies? That's not how you make friends or solve problems 🀝. And what's really going on here? Is it just about showing strength and power? Or is there something more to it?

And can we talk about the poll results for a sec? 70% of Americans are against him buying Greenland, but like, who is he trying to impress with this move? Vladimir Putin? Really? πŸ€¦β€β™‚οΈ

I don't know, maybe I'm just missing something here. But it seems to me that we need to have a more nuanced conversation about how the US projects its power and what kind of leadership we want from our president πŸ‘Š.
 
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