Trump: “My Only Limit Is My Morals”
President Donald Trump said Wednesday night that his power as commander-in-chief is essentially limited only by his “own morals.” In a wide-ranging interview, he dismissed the notion that international law or other global rules could be a major deterrent to the US attacking, invading, or pressuring other countries.
Trump said he “doesn’t need international law” and asserted he has no intention of harming anyone. However, when pressed further, he also said his administration “abides” by international law—noting that he alone will determine when those rules apply and how they are defined.
The statement demonstrates Trump’s emphasis on state power, rather than treaties, conventions, or post-World War II norms. He admitted to deliberately cultivating a reputation for being “unpredictable” and quick to use military options as a tool of coercive diplomacy to bring other countries to heed.
In the interview, Trump even took a call from Colombian President Gustavo Petro, who was said to be concerned after repeated threats that the US could take action against Colombia similar to what it did against Venezuela. This example emerged at the same time that Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio withdrew the US from dozens of international organizations established for multilateral cooperation.
Trump also sounded increasingly confident in the various tough measures he claimed were successful, from the attack on Iran's nuclear program, operations against Venezuela, to his ambitions regarding Greenland—a territory under Denmark, a NATO ally. He signaled that preserving the transatlantic alliance and pursuing Greenland "might have to be a choice," while emphasizing that NATO would be weakened without the US.
Meanwhile, the issue of limiting war powers began to emerge domestically. The Senate approved a resolution aimed at limiting Trump's use of military force in Venezuela, especially after he hinted that US involvement could last for years. Trump also mentioned "detour" options if his domestic policies were blocked by the courts—such as packaging tariffs as licensing fees—and opened the possibility of using the Insurrection Act to deploy the military domestically if he deemed necessary. (asd)
Source: Newsmaker.id
