{"id":244,"date":"2026-01-10T05:55:13","date_gmt":"2026-01-10T05:55:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.worldwatchalert.com\/?p=244"},"modified":"2026-01-10T05:55:13","modified_gmt":"2026-01-10T05:55:13","slug":"trump-dismisses-international-law-alarms-allies-with-expanding-us-power","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.worldwatchalert.com\/?p=244","title":{"rendered":"Trump Dismisses International Law, Alarms Allies With Expanding US Power"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

NEW YORK:<\/strong> President Donald Trump\u2019s increasingly unilateral approach to global power \u2014 openly dismissive of international law and grounded instead in what he describes as his personal moral judgement \u2014 is unsettling allies and rivals alike, as Washington expands military, political and economic interventions across multiple regions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In an interview with The New York Times<\/em> published Thursday, Trump said his authority as US commander-in-chief was restrained only by his own sense of morality. \u201cMy own morality. My own mind. It\u2019s the only thing that can stop me,\u201d he said, adding that he did not see international law as a binding constraint.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Asked whether his administration was bound by international legal norms, Trump replied, \u201cIt depends what your definition of international law is.\u201d His remarks come as the United States has acknowledged military strikes or operations during the first year of his second term in countries including Venezuela, Yemen, Syria, Somalia, Nigeria, Iraq and Iran.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Trump also downplayed the significance of the New START nuclear arms control treaty with Russia, which is set to expire on February 5. \u201cIf it expires, it expires,\u201d he said, adding that Washington would pursue a \u201cbetter agreement\u201d that includes China.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The comments coincided with major developments in Venezuela, where Trump said he halted a planned second wave of US military action after the country\u2019s new leadership began releasing political prisoners. Writing on his Truth Social platform, Trump said the releases signalled that Caracas was \u201cseeking peace\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The decision followed a January 3 US special forces operation, supported by airstrikes, in which Washington captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, and transferred them to the United States to face drug trafficking charges. Venezuelan authorities claim around 100 people were killed during the operation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maduro\u2019s deputy, Delcy Rodriguez, assumed interim leadership, while parliament speaker Jorge Rodriguez announced the release of a \u201clarge number\u201d of detainees to promote \u201cpeaceful coexistence\u201d. Rights groups estimate that more than 800 political prisoners had been held prior to the releases.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The White House took credit for the move, though Trump played down democracy promotion as a motivation for the intervention. He said US oil companies had pledged up to $100 billion in investment as Washington moves to oversee a transitional period and gain access to Venezuela\u2019s vast oil reserves. US authorities also confirmed the seizure of another tanker attempting to breach an American naval blockade, the fifth such vessel detained in recent weeks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

International reaction has been sharply critical. Leaders in Canada and Brazil called for a peaceful, Venezuelan-led transition that respects sovereignty and international law. Brazil\u2019s President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva warned that Washington had crossed an \u201cunacceptable line\u201d, while the United Nations human rights office said the intervention violated international law and increased global instability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Trump\u2019s comments have also raised concerns in Mexico after he suggested potential US ground operations against drug cartels. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said she had instructed her foreign minister to intensify diplomatic engagement with Washington to prevent escalation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In Europe, unease is growing over Trump\u2019s posture, particularly his renewed threats regarding Greenland. NATO\u2019s top military commander in Europe said the alliance remains committed to defending its territory, though Trump\u2019s remarks have heightened concerns.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

France took a firm stance, with Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot warning that Europe\u2019s political order was under threat and insisting that allies had the right to reject US proposals that violate shared principles. Germany announced that senior ministers would travel to Washington next week amid mounting transatlantic tensions over security, arms control and strategic resources.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As Trump continues to redefine US power on his own terms, allies across the globe are grappling with what his approach means for international law, global stability and long-standing diplomatic norms.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

NEW YORK: President Donald Trump\u2019s increasingly unilateral approach to global power \u2014 openly dismissive of international law and grounded instead in what he describes as his personal moral judgement \u2014… <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":245,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[100,109,108,106],"class_list":["post-244","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-world","tag-donald-trump","tag-international-law","tag-nato","tag-us-foreign-policy"],"yoast_head":"\nTrump Dismisses International Law, Alarms Allies - World Watch Alert<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"President Donald Trump\u2019s dismissal of international law and expanding US interventions are raising alarm across Europe\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.worldwatchalert.com\/?p=244\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Trump Dismisses International Law, Alarms Allies - 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