US President Trump Says He Does Not Need International Law, Mentions What Guides Him
- President Donald Trump said he did not need international law to guide his actions, stating that his personal morality was sufficient
- The US military had carried out strikes in Venezuela and seized President Nicolas Maduro, triggering global criticism
- Legal experts and UN officials had warned that dismissing international law could encourage global instability
Donald Trump has dismissed the need to follow international law as his administration presses forward with a series of forceful foreign policy actions, including a military operation in Venezuela.
Speaking to The New York Times, the United States president said only his personal judgment would restrain his conduct.
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“I don’t need international law. I’m not looking to hurt people,” Trump said.
When asked whether he was bound by global legal standards, Trump offered a qualified response, saying compliance depended on interpretation. He added that he does follow international law, but that it “depends what your definition of international law is”. The remarks have drawn sharp reactions from legal experts and international observers.
US military action raises global alarm
Over the weekend, US forces carried out early morning strikes in Venezuela, with explosions reported in Caracas and near military installations. American troops later seized Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, a move critics say violated the United Nations Charter, which bars the use of force against another state’s sovereignty.
Shortly after the operation, Trump said the United States would “run” Venezuela and benefit from its oil resources, although officials later said cooperation would take place with interim President Delcy Rodriguez. The administration also warned of further military steps if its demands were ignored.
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“If she doesn’t do what’s right, she is going to pay a very big price, probably bigger than Maduro,” Trump said in a separate interview.
Trump has also floated the possibility of action against Colombia’s President Gustavo Petro and renewed his push to acquire Greenland. Earlier in the year, the US joined Israel in strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities.
Officials defend hardline posture
Senior aide Stephen Miller has criticised the post World War II international system, arguing that Washington should assert its power more openly.
“We’re a superpower, and under President Trump, we are going to conduct ourselves as a superpower,” Miller told CNN.
Supporters say such language reflects a willingness to protect American interests. Critics warn it risks destabilising international relations and encouraging unilateral action by other powers.
Experts warn of dangerous precedent
Margaret Satterthwaite, the UN special rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers, said the rhetoric could carry severe consequences. She told Al Jazeera the dismissal of legal norms was “extremely dangerous” and raised fears of a return to an “age of imperialism”.
“International law cannot stop states from doing terrible things if they’re committed to doing them,” Satterthwaite said.
She warned that weakening legal standards could embolden rivals and deepen global insecurity.
Yusra Suedi, an assistant professor of international law at the University of Manchester, cautioned against the belief that power alone determines legitimacy.
“It signals something very dangerous, in that it gives permission to other states to essentially follow suit – states such as China, who might be eyeing Taiwan, or Russia with respect to Ukraine,” she said.
Political scientist Ian Hurd noted that US intervention in Latin America has often produced instability and long term regret. He cited past actions in countries such as Panama, Haiti, Nicaragua and Chile. “These never work well,” Hurd said, arguing that history offers clear lessons about the costs of repeated intervention.
Venezuela’s Maduro pleads not guilty
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Nicolás Maduro made a dramatic first appearance in a Manhattan courtroom on Monday, January 5, to confront charges of drug peddling and weapons offences while insisting he remains Venezuela’s legitimate president.
He appeared in handcuffs, accompanied by his wife, Cilia Flores, and surrounded by heavily armed federal agents, drawing a packed crowd of journalists and members of the public.
Source: Legit.ng
