President Trump declared that he "doesn’t need international law" and that his power as commander-in-chief is limited only by  his "own morality," during an interview with the New York Times on Wednesday, January 7.

When asked if there were any limits to his power, Trump replied: "Yeah, there is one thing. My own morality. My own mind. It's the only thing that can stop me." He added that his administration did need to abide by international law, however, qualified it by saying he would be the "arbiter" whenever it applied to the United States.

In the words of New York Times, the interview was "the most blunt acknowledgment yet" of Trump's worldview, where his actions are guided by "his own freedom to use any instrument of military, economic or political power to cement American supremacy." Trump's fundamental idea suggests that he gives precedence to national strength, rather than laws, treaties or conventions, when the two come into conflict.

On January 3, U.S. forces launched a massive strike on Venezuela, taking President Maduro and his wife by force to the U.S. The international community has since condemned the strike as a grave violation of Venezuelan sovereignty and territorial integrity.