Senator Thom Tillis (2:25)

No. You know, I think we're going to get into a little bit of a hyperbolic language here. Chris is a friend of mine. He's a Democrat. I could see where he may take that position. But I've been the Republican leader of the Senate NATO observer group since 2018. Yes. I'm going there to reassure everyone that unlike what angered me last week was one of the President's advisers making the statement that it was the position of the US Government that Greenland would become a part of the United States. He doesn't have an election certificate. He is not a member of the Article one branch. I am. It can be his position. It can currently be the position of the President. But the people, the people in Denmark, the NATO countries, our allies, our partners, the people who have gone to war with us, fought side by side with us, lost lives when they came to Afghanistan and consistent with their Article 5 commitment in NATO. I want to make them very aware of the fact that there is not support for this in Congress, regardless of what they may say in the White House. I think that an illegal taking of another territory and from a sovereign nation and a member of NATO, it's just not good advice. And I'm going there to tell them there's at least one branch of government that stands with the NATO alliance. It's still wanting to achieve the President's goals. Of course, we need to project power in the Arctic. Of course, we need to counter the first ever joint military exercises with China and Russia in the Arctic. Let's get there in a faster, more sustainable, less acrimonious way that strengthens the nation alliance, not putting it into question.

Jeff (Interviewer) (4:02)

We've heard a lot of justifications for this idea was critical minerals, it was strategic importance, the fact that it was a neighbor. Today the President says we need Greenland to build the Golden Dome. Would you be able to assure officials in Copenhagen that there will be no military action against Greenland?

Senator Thom Tillis (4:19)

If there is military action against Greenland, I will be one of the first people to file and co sponsor War Powers Resolution. It will pass.

Jeff (Interviewer) (4:28)

Yeah.

Senator Thom Tillis (4:29)

That is what I'm trying to communicate to the President. We want to help him. I support the vast majorities of the President's policies having the past well in the future. But we have to speak truth to power when the single most important alliance in the history of the democratic world is put into question. And it shouldn't be. So if you know, I Understand with the meeting with the foreign ministers that they came away frustrated and that Vice President Vance may have taken a different position. I just respectfully disagree. Just to be clear, this is not the way you strengthen alliances that are vitally important for the safety and security of this world.

Jeff (Interviewer) (5:05)

Understood. To be clear, the existing arrangement that we have with Denmark and with Greenland would allow us to position.

Senator Thom Tillis (5:12)

That's. That's golden dome elements. You know, as a fiscal conservative, think about this. We don't have to pay whatever we have to pay or go to the expense of whatever it would take to take this country and then have it discount it. With all the loss of alliances at our height, we had as many as 17 military installations there. There's no question that Denmark and that Greenland would like to have American technology to potentially fully realize the rare earth minerals potential they have there. There's no doubt that the infrastructure that at one point allowed as many as 17 military bases could be modernized and we could be there with an ally projecting power in a contested part of the world. And that's what I mean. It would cost us less money, it would produce less tumult and give us the same sort of capability. What is not to like about that plan? The question I have is did anyone actually tell the President that all that was possible and it was possible not because of some future planning, but because it's been that way in the past?

Jeff (Interviewer) (6:16)

Right. Yes. All of that said, we've also got something cooking in Venezuela.

Senator Thom Tillis (6:22)

Oh, yeah.

Jeff (Interviewer) (6:23)

Should there be a war powers?

Senator Thom Tillis (6:24)

No, I see. That's a. I think that by voting for the war powers resolution that. Senator Kaine. Look, it's a messaging exercise, right?

Jeff (Interviewer) (6:32)

How are they different?

Senator Thom Tillis (6:33)

Let me. Well, I'll explain. Number one, it's a messaging exercise. Does anybody really believe that this president wouldn't veto it and it is subject to veto authority?

Jeff (Interviewer) (6:40)

Sure.

Senator Thom Tillis (6:41)

There's also a question as to whether or not the House would even. Whether it would be successful in the House. So at the end of the day, it's a messaging exercise.

Jeff (Interviewer) (6:48)

They have their own more powers in the House.

Senator Thom Tillis (6:50)

I know, but I thought it sends a message that I didn't support that I would not be supporting what the President did in Venezuela. I am thrilled with the precision and the exquisite execution of what it took to get Maduro and his wife into custody and now have to defend themselves in a court of law. I don't want anyone to think that I'm the least bit concerned with the execution of that. I also know that there are no boots on the Ground. And so to me, it's a war powers resolution flexing a message that I don't agree with in the same week that I'm happy with what they did in the future. If boots go on the ground, of course we're going to have to have a war powers resolution.

Jeff (Interviewer) (7:35)

That's the line for you.

Senator Thom Tillis (7:36)

Yeah, yeah, we're going to need all that because at some point, if we really want Venezuela to be successful, we've got to have a long term plan that goes far beyond this President so they can achieve what their real potential is in Venezuela.

Jeff (Interviewer) (7:46)

And it's enormous if we're Talking about a 10 year build out, that's for sure.

Senator Thom Tillis (7:49)

I worked in Venezuela around the turn of the century and I've always said they are one of the most extraordinary. They're, they're their natural resources, their geographic positioning. They could be the envy of the Western hemisphere if we help them. And I think that's what the President wants to do.

Jeff (Interviewer) (8:04)

Interesting. I have to ask you about what's going on with the Chairman of the Federal Reserve. This is put you on the content rich week. I should say so when it's only Wednesday. Senator, you've been on front pages all over the country as essentially the face of opposition to this idea, at least from the Republican side of the aisle. President Trump says he didn't know it was coming. The idea of Jay Powell in an orange jumpsuit has upset a lot of people up here on Capitol Hill. Is that where this is going?

Senator Thom Tillis (8:30)

Yeah. Look, I think, you know, I probably leaned in more heavily than other people, but everybody should look at the statements made by House and Senate members about their concern. The President said he wasn't aware of it. I wasn't either when I, when I, when I saw something like that, I thought we had to move very quickly again to make sure that the markets, I think the markets could have reacted very differently this week if everybody thought that the independence of the Fed was about to be shredded.

Jeff (Interviewer) (8:59)

Market didn't take it that seriously.

Senator Thom Tillis (9:01)

I think that the market saw statements from members of Congress and others who are saying, look, you want to go through this process, it's remarkable to me that someone in the DOJ would move without the President's knowledge, but apparently they did. But look, if suddenly threat of a lawsuit can take a chair out of play, how can anybody think that that's anything more than a de facto ending the independence of the Fed? And we all know what that does to markets worldwide.

Jeff (Interviewer) (9:29)

You said that you would block president's efforts to Name a new chair until this matter is resolved. How do we define no?

Senator Thom Tillis (9:36)

Actually, to be clear, I will block any effort to name any member of the Fed boys until this matter is resolved.

Jeff (Interviewer) (9:44)

How do we find resolve with charges.

Senator Thom Tillis (9:47)

Withdrawn or it's either got to be fully adjudic or they don't move forward with an indictment and they close the case and they explain reasons why it'll take as long as they've chosen to take. I didn't put them here. They put them here.

Jeff (Interviewer) (9:59)

Yes.

Senator Thom Tillis (10:00)

And I think that why. Because to me, to move on would almost validate that this is a way that you can actually get the Fed under heel. I mean, that's why I'm not trying to be cantankerous again, I support this president. But in this case, how can anybody logically say, well, we'll move on from Chair Powell and not think that that becomes a device for, for influence over the board.

Jeff (Interviewer) (10:25)

Yeah.

Senator Thom Tillis (10:26)

So to me, it was just something that we had to do fairly quickly because I was mindful of how the markets could react and I was very pleased to see a fair number of Republicans on both sides of capital.

Jeff (Interviewer) (10:36)

Yeah. As I mentioned, this has upset a number of people up here. The markets are many more.

Senator Thom Tillis (10:40)

Look at former treasury secretaries. Look at, I mean, this is a bipartisan concern. I'm not going to speak for him, but he didn't appear to, to, he.

Jeff (Interviewer) (10:47)

Did not appear to be. So could we end up in a world where Jay Powell says, you know what, I'm not going anywhere and he's on the board till 28?

Senator Thom Tillis (10:55)

He could be. But, you know, I think that everything that I've heard from Chair Powell is that he was stepping down from the chairman's role and he may or may not serve out his entire term.

Jeff (Interviewer) (11:08)

Yes.

Senator Thom Tillis (11:09)

But with this sort of a flex from some person in the, in the D.C. district, I know how I would react to it. And we'll just have to see how Mr. Powell does after the, the underlying matters adjudicated.

Jeff (Interviewer) (11:23)

We just walked through three big buckets here.

Senator Thom Tillis (11:25)

Yeah.

Jeff (Interviewer) (11:26)

Do you like the way you're being framed in the media as the check on Trump, the Republican?

Senator Thom Tillis (11:30)

No, I don't say. No, I don't.

Jeff (Interviewer) (11:32)

You said you've never had an argue with an argument with him.

Senator Thom Tillis (11:34)

President Trump. And I'm going to throw this phone over here because somebody's trying to call me and I'm tired of.

Jeff (Interviewer) (11:39)

I think he's tired.

Senator Thom Tillis (11:40)

It's probably a friend of mine because I do for you. I play tricks on them. I call them During Yalls interviews. I did it McHenry the other day.

Jeff (Interviewer) (11:46)

Thank you.

Senator Thom Tillis (11:46)

So maybe he's going to be back. But anyway, so, you know, look, I am trying to. When I decided to retire, I felt like I could be a much better advisor to the President and disintermediate any, any thought in the press that when I agree with him, which is the majority of the time, I'm only doing it because I'm afraid of my reelection prospects. To me, I felt like I could be a much better resource to the President to check against some of the amateurish policies that he is pursuing by being completely independent to call balls and strikes. It's why we put in the statement what we did. I am here to make sure that this president has a strong legacy. There are people working for him who couldn't care less about the legacy. They care about the moment and the transaction. I care about how this president is remembered in history because a successful Republican president, in my opinion, is a successful nation.

Jeff (Interviewer) (12:43)

So you think you're surrounded by the wrong people?

Senator Thom Tillis (12:45)

No. Having said that, he's got some good people there. I'm going to go through a list because I've decided, I've talked to him individually. Going through a list, I'm saying the majority of you guys are good stuff.

Jeff (Interviewer) (12:54)

Yeah.

Senator Thom Tillis (12:55)

But some people are giving the president advice is problematic and it's my job to speak truth and hopefully we'll maintain a good relationship. That's entirely up to the President.

Jeff (Interviewer) (13:05)

Well, we appreciate your candor very much and I always enjoy the time that you're spending some time with us this evening on Capitol Hill. Senator.

Senator Thom Tillis (13:11)

Thank you, Jeff.

Jeff (Interviewer) (13:11)

That's of course, Thom Tillis of North Carolina.

Michael McDermott (13:14)

How do you shift AI from being a flashy feature to a trusted partner in consumers everyday lives on the ground at CES Bloomberg Media Studios? Asked Michael McDermott, EVP of Samsung.

Samsung AI Executive (13:23)

Our 2026 vision is built around an AI companion. It understands you and responds intuitively. This intelligence works with quietly in the background across TVs, home appliances and mobile devices. By putting AI at the center of everything we do, we're simply improving everyday life for everyone everywhere.

Jason Leopold (13:44)

Want to know how Russian pranksters tricked a top government official?

Michael McDermott (13:47)

Or how the only copy of a Wu Tang Clan album got auctioned for millions of dollars by the Department of Justice?

Jason Leopold (13:53)

The answers are out there.

Michael McDermott (13:54)

The trick is getting the government to share them.

Jason Leopold (13:56)

I'm investigative journalist Jason Leopold. I spend most of my days getting documents from the government.

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I'm attorney Matt Topic and them in court to open their files when they don't want to.

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From Bloomberg.

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