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Topics: Donald Trump, World News, Politics, News, US News
Madison Burgess
Topics: Donald Trump, World News, Politics, News, US News
Donald Trump has spoken out about the limits of his power, boldly claiming he doesn't need international law.
In a new interview with The New York Times, the 79-year-old US president was quizzed on whether there were any limits on his global powers, following his kidnapping of the Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and his potential plans to 'take' Greenland.
He responded with: “Yeah, there is one thing. My own morality. My own mind. It’s the only thing that can stop me.”
The Republican leader went on to claim: "I don’t need international law. I’m not looking to hurt people.”
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When pressed about what exactly he meant by this and whether his administration needs to abide by international law, Trump admitted: "I do," but cryptically added: “It depends what your definition of international law is."
Social media users have been left alarmed by these 'scary' comments from the world leader and have branded the president a 'dictator'.
One X user penned: "This is was a dictator looks like. Scary that so many human beings support him."
While a second added: "America is finished as a free nation. it’s turned into a complete dictatorship. If this doesn’t stop now, we’re headed for a dark future where every single one of our rights is erased and we're forced to live under total state control."
A third and fourth chimed in with: "Wild how much he just doesn’t care" and "Can someone do something before this becomes a mess?"
It comes after the news that Trump is 'actively discussing' buying Greenland, despite this move potentially spelling out the end of NATO.
Greenland is a part of Denmark, which makes it a NATO security area, so if Trump did attempt to take it, the US would be acting against a fellow NATO member, and that alone would put the alliance into uncharted territory.
He's previously claimed he wouldn't rule out using force to take over the area, and, since the Trump administration’s capture of Maduro on suspicion of narco-terrorism charges, global anxieties have been sparked about what the US will do next.
Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters on Wednesday (7 January) it is 'something that's currently being actively discussed by the president and his national security team'.
She said: "The acquisition of Greenland by the United States is not a new idea.
"The president has been very open and clear with all of you and with the world, that he views it in the best interest of the United States to deter Russian and Chinese aggression in the Arctic region, and so that's why his team is currently talking about what a potential purchase would look like."
Tyla has contacted the White House for comment.