Donald Trump has said the only real limit on his power as United States president is his personal sense of morality, dismissing international law as a binding constraint in comments that are likely to deepen concern among allies and critics.
In a new interview with the New York Times, Trump said he did not believe global legal frameworks restricted his authority, arguing instead that his own judgment was "the only thing that can stop me." While acknowledging that his administration technically engages with international law, he questioned how such rules should be defined or applied. "It depends what your definition of international law is."
Trump's remarks come as his administration openly weighs options to bring Greenland under United States control and faces international backlash over the recent removal of Venezuela's president, Nicolás Maduro. Trump defended the Venezuela operation by repeating claims that the country had exported criminal networks to the United States, describing the intervention as a response to a direct security threat.
The president also brushed aside warnings that United States actions could encourage similar moves by China or Russia, saying he did not believe Beijing would attempt to seize Taiwan while he remained in office. Trump also expressed little concern over the imminent expiration of the last major United States-Russia arms control treaty, suggesting a replacement deal could be negotiated later.