President Donald Trump asserted that his power as commander in chief faces no constraints beyond his personal sense of morality and judgment, explicitly dismissing international law as a binding framework for his administration’s global military actions. It’s the only thing that can stop me,” Trump declared when asked about limits on his international authority. He continued, “I don’t need international law. I’m not looking to hurt people.”​However, when pressed further about whether his administration must adhere to international law, Trump acknowledged that it does but introduced significant ambiguity into his position. Beyond Venezuela, Trump has escalated his rhetoric regarding Greenland, a Danish territory and NATO member possession.

Source: International New York Times January 10, 2026 14:58 UTC