US President Donald Trump says he will determine limits on his powers, not international law or treaties, adding he will launch ground strikes against drug cartels without specifying locations. In interview with New York Times published Thursday, Trump says his authority as commander-in-chief constrained only by his ‘personal ethics’. Asked whether any limits exist on his global powers, Trump says ‘Yes, one thing. My personal ethics. My mind. That is only thing that can stop me’. He adds he does not need international law because he does not seek ‘to harm people’. Pressed on whether his administration bound by international law, Trump says ‘yes’, but notes he will judge when those limits apply to United States, adding it depends on ‘your definition of international law’. Remarks follow days after launching rapid attack to remove Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and threatening several countries, including Greenland. Asked whether priority maintaining military alliances, especially NATO, or acquiring Greenland, Trump says ‘could be option’, calling NATO ‘worthless without United States’. On importance of Greenland, Trump says US ownership ‘psychologically necessary for success’. Trump dismisses post-World War II global order rules as unnecessary burdens on superpower, and downplays risk China or Russia using similar logic against United States, stressing American power decisive and previous presidents overly cautious in using it. Military precedent Trump says he exploits reputation for unpredictability and readiness to use military force to coerce other countries. Asked whether precedent set in Venezuela could justify China attacking Taiwan, Trump says this will not happen ‘while he is in office’, adding Chinese President Xi Jinping would not dare attack Taiwan because Trump previously told him he did not want that. Targeting cartels In separate interview with Fox News on Thursday, Trump announces US will begin ground strikes against drug cartels, without specifying exact locations, pointing to Mexico after strikes targeting boats in Caribbean and Pacific. Trump says ‘We will start ground strikes against cartels. Cartels control Mexico. Very sad to see what happening in this country’. He reveals pressing Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum to allow US troops to fight drug cartels in Mexico, offer he says she previously rejected. More than 100 people reportedly killed since September in US strikes on boats allegedly carrying drugs in Caribbean and Pacific. New York Times + agencies
US President Donald Trump says he will determine limits on his powers, not international law or treaties, adding he will launch ground strikes against drug cartels without specifying locations. In interview with New York Times published Thursday, Trump says his authority as commander-in-chief constrained only by his ‘personal ethics’. Asked whether any limits exist on his global powers, Trump says ‘Yes, one thing. My personal ethics. My mind. That is only thing that can stop me’. He adds he does not need international law because he does not seek ‘to harm people’. Pressed on whether his administration bound by international law, Trump says ‘yes’, but notes he will judge when those limits apply to United States, adding it depends on ‘your definition of international law’. Remarks follow days after launching rapid attack to remove Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and threatening several countries, including Greenland. Asked whether priority maintaining military alliances, especially NATO, or acquiring Greenland, Trump says ‘could be option’, calling NATO ‘worthless without United States’. On importance of Greenland, Trump says US ownership ‘psychologically necessary for success’. Trump dismisses post-World War II global order rules as unnecessary burdens on superpower, and downplays risk China or Russia using similar logic against United States, stressing American power decisive and previous presidents overly cautious in using it. Military precedent Trump says he exploits reputation for unpredictability and readiness to use military force to coerce other countries. Asked whether precedent set in Venezuela could justify China attacking Taiwan, Trump says this will not happen ‘while he is in office’, adding Chinese President Xi Jinping would not dare attack Taiwan because Trump previously told him he did not want that. Targeting cartels In separate interview with Fox News on Thursday, Trump announces US will begin ground strikes against drug cartels, without specifying exact locations, pointing to Mexico after strikes targeting boats in Caribbean and Pacific. Trump says ‘We will start ground strikes against cartels. Cartels control Mexico. Very sad to see what happening in this country’. He reveals pressing Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum to allow US troops to fight drug cartels in Mexico, offer he says she previously rejected. More than 100 people reportedly killed since September in US strikes on boats allegedly carrying drugs in Caribbean and Pacific. New York Times + agencies
US President Donald Trump says he will determine limits on his powers, not international law or treaties, adding he will launch ground strikes against drug cartels without specifying locations. In interview with New York Times published Thursday, Trump says his authority as commander-in-chief constrained only by his ‘personal ethics’. Asked whether any limits exist on his global powers, Trump says ‘Yes, one thing. My personal ethics. My mind. That is only thing that can stop me’. He adds he does not need international law because he does not seek ‘to harm people’. Pressed on whether his administration bound by international law, Trump says ‘yes’, but notes he will judge when those limits apply to United States, adding it depends on ‘your definition of international law’. Remarks follow days after launching rapid attack to remove Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and threatening several countries, including Greenland. Asked whether priority maintaining military alliances, especially NATO, or acquiring Greenland, Trump says ‘could be option’, calling NATO ‘worthless without United States’. On importance of Greenland, Trump says US ownership ‘psychologically necessary for success’. Trump dismisses post-World War II global order rules as unnecessary burdens on superpower, and downplays risk China or Russia using similar logic against United States, stressing American power decisive and previous presidents overly cautious in using it. Military precedent Trump says he exploits reputation for unpredictability and readiness to use military force to coerce other countries. Asked whether precedent set in Venezuela could justify China attacking Taiwan, Trump says this will not happen ‘while he is in office’, adding Chinese President Xi Jinping would not dare attack Taiwan because Trump previously told him he did not want that. Targeting cartels In separate interview with Fox News on Thursday, Trump announces US will begin ground strikes against drug cartels, without specifying exact locations, pointing to Mexico after strikes targeting boats in Caribbean and Pacific. Trump says ‘We will start ground strikes against cartels. Cartels control Mexico. Very sad to see what happening in this country’. He reveals pressing Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum to allow US troops to fight drug cartels in Mexico, offer he says she previously rejected. More than 100 people reportedly killed since September in US strikes on boats allegedly carrying drugs in Caribbean and Pacific. New York Times + agencies
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Trump defies international law: I decide limits on my powers
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