Trump rejects international law says his power rests on personal morality
By Kiprono Keileb and The Guardian, January 9, 2026United States (US) President Donald Trump has said he doesn’t need international law, and that his power is limited only by his “own morality.
In a new interview with the New York Times, Trump said the only constraint on his power as president of the US is his own morality and his own mind.
“It’s the only thing that can stop me. I’m not looking to hurt people,” he stated.
He went on to concede that he does regarding whether his administration needed to adhere to international law, but said: “I do. It depends on what your definition of international law is,” he stated.
Trump, who spoke to the newspaper as his administration looks into “a range of options” in attempts to gain control of Greenland, also emphasised the importance of ownership.
“Ownership is very important. Because that’s what I feel is psychologically needed for success. I think that ownership gives you something that you can’t do with, you’re talking about a lease or a treaty. Ownership gives you things and elements that you can’t get from just signing a document,” Trump added.
Trump also dismissed concerns that his decision to oust Nicolás Maduro as Venezuela’s president would set the precedent of a potential Chinese takeover of Taiwan or Russia’s attempt to control Ukraine.
Justifying the US’s attacks on Venezuela, Trump repeated his controversial claims that Maduro had allegedly sent gang members into the US.
“This was a real threat. You didn’t have people pouring into China. You didn’t have drugs pouring into China. You didn’t have all of the bad things that we’ve had. You didn’t have the jails of Taiwan opened up and the people pouring into China,” Trump said. He added that no criminals were pouring into Russia.
He said that he does not believe Chinese President Xi Jinping would seize control of Taiwan, telling the New York Times: “That’s up to him, what he’s going to be doing. But you know, I’ve expressed to him that I would be very unhappy if he did that, and I don’t think he’ll do that. I hope he doesn’t,” he stated.
“He may do it after we have a different president, but I don’t think he’s going to do it with me as president,” he added
He also appeared unconcerned about the last arms control treaty between the US and Russia that is set to expire next month.
Trump said, added that they will do a better agreement. “If it expires, it expires. We’ll just do a better agreement,” he added.
He went on to say that China should be included in future agreements, “You probably want to get a couple of other players involved also,” he said.
Trump’s latest interview comes amid growing domestic tensions following ICE’s fatal shooting of a woman in Minneapolis on Wednesday, which has spurred intense protests, and amid fraying relations with European allies over a potential US takeover of Greenland.