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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.

“Ownership is very important,” Trump said, adding: “Because that’s what I feel is psychologically needed for success. I think that ownership gives you a thing that you can’t do with, you’re talking about a lease or a treaty. Ownership gives you things and elements that you can’t get from just signing a document.”

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[-] Formfiller@lemmy.world 104 points 4 months ago

“My own morality” says the child raping baby killer that Epstein called the worst person he’s ever met

[-] beejboytyson@lemmy.world 30 points 4 months ago

Imagine the devil calling you evil

[-] neukenindekeuken@sh.itjust.works 12 points 4 months ago

And it not being a compliment

[-] Fuckfuckmyfuckingass@lemmy.world 77 points 4 months ago

Well... that's not reassuring.

[-] capt_wolf@lemmy.world 72 points 4 months ago

I'll take "Things a dictator says" for 800, Alex.

[-] ThePowerOfGeek@lemmy.world 40 points 4 months ago

Considering he has no morality, I guess that means "unbridled powahhhhh!!!"

[-] aarch0x40@piefed.social 32 points 4 months ago
[-] phoenixz@lemmy.ca 27 points 4 months ago

I’m not looking to hurt people

Yeah, that's a lie. You do and you're loving it. You can't be a mass murderer and say that you don't want to hurt people

[-] ArmchairAce1944@discuss.online 7 points 4 months ago

Most gangsters and bullies talk like that.

[-] adespoton@lemmy.ca 24 points 4 months ago

Back in the real world, Trump has very little morality to constrain himself, but other social factors surprisingly do still constrain him, even if he’d never admit it.

[-] TheObviousSolution@lemmy.ca 24 points 4 months ago

What's crazy isn't the headline, it's his rationale. "Because that’s what I feel is psychologically needed for success." You are going to begin a conflict with allies (every day less so, but still) because of Trump's personal feelings and psychological needs. Only a dictator and those that enable dictators would be ok with this.

[-] samus12345@sh.itjust.works 6 points 4 months ago

The fact that he thinks this way isn't the truly bad part - it's that nobody in the government is willing to oppose his mad whims, no matter how dangerous and stupid.

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[-] GuyFawkesV@lemmy.world 24 points 4 months ago

I mean based on what I’m seeing daily he’s not wrong.

[-] MyNameIsIgglePiggle@sh.itjust.works 13 points 4 months ago

Unfortunately this is the most right he has been

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[-] mokus@lemmy.blahaj.zone 21 points 4 months ago

The human race is so fucked

[-] peopleproblems@lemmy.world 20 points 4 months ago

Antisocial Personality Disorder with Narcissistic traits.

Jesus fuck. We have the worst kind of mental illness in a dude with power, drunk on that power.

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[-] inkzombie@lemmy.blahaj.zone 19 points 4 months ago

I misread that as mortality and got excited for a second

[-] samus12345@sh.itjust.works 5 points 4 months ago

His power is also constrained by that.

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[-] Mihies@programming.dev 18 points 4 months ago

Basically no restraints, eh.

[-] SocialMediaRefugee@lemmy.world 18 points 4 months ago
[-] Etterra@discuss.online 5 points 4 months ago
[-] SaveTheTuaHawk@lemmy.ca 17 points 4 months ago

his “own morality”.

From a pedophile rapist and convicted felon.

[-] D_C@sh.itjust.works 15 points 4 months ago

Then everything is fucked unless someone does something about the orange turd because that child rapist has no morality. None whatsoever.

[-] fonix232@fedia.io 15 points 4 months ago

Can someone please take care of the diapered, dementia-ridden orange shitsack please? Also, rescue that cat he's got stapled to his head. It's starting to look mangy...

[-] atzanteol@sh.itjust.works 15 points 4 months ago

"It’s the only thing that can stop me,”

Famously the type of phrase said by the protagonist in the movies and not the villains.

[-] BeardededSquidward@lemmy.blahaj.zone 14 points 4 months ago
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[-] bagsy@lemmy.world 14 points 4 months ago

Jesus christ, how much blackmail does this asshole have? is he blackmailing half the worlds billionaires? How many names are really in the epstien files?

[-] Rothe@piefed.social 12 points 4 months ago

I think you misunderstand his relationship with billionaires. Trump is an asset to billionaires. They have never had it as good as they have it under his administration. Removal of all regulation over their industries, dismantling of federal oversight and complete legal tax exemptions.

And all for what they consider pocket change as bribes to him.

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[-] SocialMediaRefugee@lemmy.world 13 points 4 months ago

“I’m not looking to hurt people.”

"Why do you make me hit you, baby?"

[-] fizzle@quokk.au 10 points 4 months ago

Despite desperately wishing this guy would encounter some fucking consequences... I kinda feel like hes not really wrong?

Like what does it matter what the law says if its not applied and there are no penalties?

[-] SocialMediaRefugee@lemmy.world 10 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago)

This is the guy MAGA wanted. They project their personal power fantasies and approve of him acting on his own hatreds, whims and impulses the way they dream of.

[-] driving_crooner@lemmy.eco.br 9 points 4 months ago

He's above American law, why international law would restrict him?

[-] Frozentea725@feddit.uk 9 points 4 months ago

Read that as mortality, I thought I was some supervillain onion piece. Truth is not too far off though

[-] santa@sh.itjust.works 9 points 4 months ago

He doesn’t have any so we are f’d

[-] Bakkoda@lemmy.world 8 points 4 months ago

Well on the upside, every single jackass who used to stop me and wanna argue politics doesn't even look me in the eye anymore.

[-] cosmicrookie@lemmy.world 8 points 4 months ago

He called it 'things and elements' instead of 'valuable minerals'

[-] borQue@lemmy.zip 8 points 4 months ago
[-] asteriskeverything@lemmy.world 8 points 4 months ago

Listen hear me out...

Can we just have a newsletter of "trump says" instead of reporting every fucking thing his geriatric mind spews 3 times a day? While it is important to be aware of the context of the crazy; at this point it isn't real news ffs! he's basically weekend at bernies at this point.

[-] ChonkyLincoln@lemmy.zip 6 points 4 months ago

I’d love to drink that bottle of champagne in my fridge soon

[-] RememberTheApollo_@lemmy.world 6 points 4 months ago

Power can be constrained by prison cells and handcuffs.

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[-] DarkFuture@lemmy.world 5 points 4 months ago

Huh.

Sounds like how kings work.

[-] Lushed_Lungfish@lemmy.ca 5 points 4 months ago

Okay, then why does he continue to fail so spectacularly?

[-] Asfalttikyntaja@sopuli.xyz 5 points 4 months ago

And this is only first week of the year…

[-] HellsBelle@sh.itjust.works 8 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago)
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this post was submitted on 09 Jan 2026
462 points (98.9% liked)

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