Be afraid planet - I don't need international law': Trump says power constrained only by 'my own morality'

[malaise]

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jan/08/trump-power-international-law

Donald Trump has said that he does not “need international law” and that his power is limited only by his “own morality”.

In a new interview with the New York Times, Trump said the only constraint to his power as president of the US is “my own morality, my own mind”.

“It’s the only thing that can stop me,” Trump said, adding: “I’m not looking to hurt people.” He went on to concede “I do” in regards to whether his administration needed to adhere to international law, but said: “It depends on what your definition of international law is.”

Trump, who spoke to the newspaper as his administration looks into “a range of options” in attempts of gaining control of Greenland, also emphasized the importance of ownership.

——-
No law applies to him and he can’t spell morality.

[surfered]

1. The man is amoral.

[malaise]

3. He is stark raving mad

That is all

[yellow dahlia]

18. Yup

[yellow dahlia]

17. Yup

[H2O Man]

2. Recommended.

The world needs to stop him.

[bdamomma]

4. He can

fuck off!!!!!!!

[malaise]

6. Good to see you

and ditto - Happy New Year.

[bdamomma]

7. Happy 2026!!!!

malaise hope you're doing well.

[bucolic_frolic]

5. Tell us something we don't already know /nt

[perfessor]

8. "No law does this man observe"

— Nostradamus, 16th century, or Al Stewart, 20th century. Talking about Hitler, but if the jackboot fits …

[Trailrider1951]

38. Yes

It's been years since I've heard this. Thank you for reminding me.

&list=RDX0b0M4OWuZc&start_radio=1

[C_U_L8R]

9. What is retribution

But intent to hurt people.

Trump lives for this shit and fools no one.

[Munu]

10. International law never really existed for major powers.

Call me cynical but it was just a polite fiction or gentlemen's agreement.

I heartily agree Trump is a sociopath who needs to be stopped, but invoking nonexistent international law doesn't help.

[malaise]

12. True

Valid point

[AloeVera]

31. Ask African nations how real it is. They are held strictly accountable.

Unlike the West and major powers who won't even sign onto the ICC.

You might conclude from that there is unequal justice. To be really cynical, you might even conclude that even international law serves as a tool of imperial control.

After Gaza, surely the "fiction" is laid bare for all to see.

[Munu]

33. International law serves as a tool of imperial control.

Well put!

But not really law at all.

[malaise]

35. Only applies to us peons

The big powers do what the eff they want with impunity

[patphil]

37. Yup, that's how a fascist state works.

[Solly Mack]

11. ...

[BadgerMom]

13. What morality?

[Grim Chieftain]

16. Interesting he said "morality"

and not mortality. Freudian slip or simply the truth?

[malaise]

25. The morality of a rapist

murderer, fraudster, liar, cheat, con man…

[littlemissmartypants]

14. Thanks for sharing this, malaise. ❤️

How to spot a psychopath:

Characteristics of Psychopaths

1. Aggressive, callous, and cunning
2. Complete absence of conscience and empathy
3. Very adept at manipulating others
4. Willingness to engage in immoral, criminal conduct
5. Willingness to take what they want and do as they please, regardless of who is hurt or wronged
6. Deceptive ability to appear outwardly benevolent
7. Deceptive ability to behave in superficially charming ways to hide purely selfish motives
8. Willingness to use intimidation and violence to control others in order to satisfy their own needs
9. Willingness to intentionally violate the basic inherent human rights of others
10. Complete absence of any sense of guilt or remorse for the harm their actions have caused to others
11. Rationalization of their own immoral behavior
12. Will attempt to lay blame upon someone else for their own conduct
13. Denial, will deny their own wrongdoing outright
14. Utter contemptuousness toward the feelings and desires of their fellow beings
15. Pathological lying, will say anything without any concern for truth to advance their own hidden agendas
16. Ablity to feign [fake] normal human emotions and empathy
17. Distorted sense of the consequences of their actions
18. Total failure to accept any responsibility for their own socially irresponsible ways
19. Strong bellef that they will never be brought to justice for their criminal behavior

[emmybee43]

19. Except #16

He can't do that. He's so bereft of those sentiments he can't even fake them.

[littlemissmartypants]

20. He may have at one time, for his own psycho reasons. ...

But you're right, he doesn't care enough to even try because he doesn't believe that he needs to try.

❤️

[Irish_Dem]

28. I agree, at one time he might have been able to fake feelings.

Now he doesn't need to.

[Irish_Dem]

27. Congress and the courts appointed this kind of man King of the US.

[Orrex]

15. Well, he's making an active and credible threat against every nation on Earth

We've bombed countries flat for less.

[patphil]

21. Trump is morally depraved and spiritually bankrupt.

And, after the remarks Vance said today, it's evident we need to get them both out now.
It's evident to me that they want to push the citizenry to react violently so Trump can invoke the Insurrection Act, and suspend the November elections.
This is what he said, and we can be absolutely certain he means what he says.
This is the true meaning of project 2025; an end to the 250 years of Constitutional Democratic Republic that has defined the United States of America in the eyes of the world.
Congress needs to act before Trump completes his power grab.
Once he has solidified his control, Congress can go home for all the effect on government they'll have.
Two attacks in two days is part of a plan. Expect the ICE attacks on the citizenry to escalate.
They won't stop until they achieve their goal of establishing a fascist state on the grave of the US Constitutional Democratic Republic.

[malaise]

36. THIS

Rec

[Ol Janx Spirit]

22. Well, if it's limited by his own mind then we are in good shape...

His mind is one of those teeny tiny raisins you get sometimes in the box of normal raisins.


Yeah, the complete hubris of this Administration--a lot of which is being driven by the sniveling weenie Stephen Miller--is going to end badly for the U.S. and the world unless Republicans wake the hell up and start to push back on this shit.

We've seen a tiny bit of that with Greenland:
https://time.com/7344316/republicans-break-ranks-with-trump-over-greenland-annexation-threat/

And Venezuela:
https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2026/01/08/congress/the-5-republicans-who-voted-against-trump-on-war-powers-00716245

But not nearly enough to save the planet and all of the American kids that will have to die in service of his "morality" so far....

I hate this stupid timeline.

[thought crime]

23. There was a chance to hold him accountable.

Now he's only guided by "his own morality". We've got Trouble my friends.

[Kennah]

24. We had a good run (nt)

[Irish_Dem]

26. Trump loves to hurt people. He lives for it and it brings him great satisfaction

He is a brutal psychopath and the world is in danger.

[underpants]

29. "Stable genius" was a threat.

Implying, “What if I was an evil genius?”

[artemisia1]

30. The son of perdition has "morality"? /nt

[marble falls]

32. He misspoke - he meant his lack of morality.

[Kid Berwyn]

34. No good louse is stakki

Were he a thing, I’d wish I could buy him for what he’s worth and sell him for what he thinks he’s worth.

[Initech]

39. We have a James Bond supervillain as president.