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.

In an interview with the New York Times, Trump said, “Yeah, there is one thing. My own morality. My own mind. 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. “I do,” he said, but immediately qualified the statement: “It depends what your definition of international law is.”​

The timing of these remarks is significant, coming just days after U.S. military forces under Trump’s direction conducted a military operation in Venezuela that resulted in the capture of President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores. 

Beyond Venezuela, Trump has escalated his rhetoric regarding Greenland, a Danish territory and NATO member possession. He has suggested that acquiring Greenland may be necessary “from the standpoint of national security,” and when asked whether preserving the NATO alliance outweighed the desire to annex Greenland, Trump suggested “it may be a choice.”​

“Because that’s what I feel is psychologically needed for success. I think that ownership gives you a thing 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 explained in the interview.

Trump has also indicated his administration may pursue military action against Colombia and has threatened additional military operations if interim Venezuelan leadership fails to comply with U.S. demands.

White House Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy Stephen Miller has echoed the administration’s worldview, stating that the U.S. will operate “unapologetically” as a superpower and that no nation will challenge American military interests in the Western Hemisphere.​

Trump declared in his January 20, 2025 inaugural address: “My proudest legacy will be that of a peacemaker and unifier.” 

Trump oversaw at least 626 air strikes in his first year back in office (January 20, 2025 to January 8, 2026), exceeding the 555 total strikes conducted by President Biden over his entire four-year term.