Donald Trump says only his own morality limits his power, dismissing international law. Photo: X.
US President Donald Trump has claimed that the only real constraint on his global powers is his own sense of morality, not international law or treaties, in remarks that have triggered fresh debate over presidential authority and America’s role on the world stage.
In an interview on Wednesday, Trump was asked whether there were any limits to his powers as president. His response was blunt.
“Yeah, there is one thing. My own morality. My own mind. It’s the only thing that can stop me,” Trump said.
During the interview, Trump downplayed the relevance of international legal frameworks, asserting that such rules do not bind his decision-making.
“I don’t need international law,” Trump said, adding, “I’m not looking to hurt people.”
The comments came just days after the United States launched an operation against Venezuela that resulted in the capture of the country’s leader, Nicolas Maduro. Trump has also issued threats against several other countries, as well as the autonomous territory of Greenland.
When pressed on whether his administration was required to abide by international law, Trump initially responded in the affirmative.
“I do,” he said.
However, he made it clear that he viewed himself as the final authority on when and how such legal constraints should apply to the United States.
“It depends on what your definition of international law is,” Trump told The New York Times.
Trump’s remarks coincided with rare pushback from Congress. On Thursday, the US Senate advanced a resolution aimed at preventing the president from undertaking further military action against Venezuela without explicit congressional authorisation.
The procedural vote passed 52 to 47, with five Republican senators breaking ranks to vote alongside every Democrat in favour of advancing the war powers resolution. One Republican senator did not vote.
The vote followed the dramatic US military raid in Caracas on Saturday that led to Maduro’s capture.
Democratic lawmakers sharply criticised the operation, describing Trump’s “invasion” of Venezuela as a “lawless act” carried out without the approval of Congress.
Zubair Amin is a Senior Journalist at NewsX with over seven years of experience in reporting and editorial work. He has written for leading national and international publications, including Foreign Policy Magazine, Al Jazeera, The Economic Times, The Indian Express, The Wire, Article 14, Mongabay, News9, among others. His primary focus is on international affairs, with a strong interest in US politics and policy. He also writes on West Asia, Indian polity, and constitutional issues. Zubair tweets at zubaiyr.amin
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