Donald Trump when asked about the Constitutional and moral limits imposed upon the power of the POTUS retorted in the interview (with outlets such as CBS and the New York Times: “… only by my own morality, my own mind,” and that is “the only thing that can stop me…” That was Trump’s conception of executive power, the role of the American Constitution, and of whether international law binds him or not.
Interviewers pressed him on whether courts, treaties, or international norms can actually check his actions, and Trump replied in substance that those constraints are irrelevant because “we’ll never get to the courts” or the Constitution—he will act if he feels it is “good for our country,” and his own “morality” is the only real limit.
The President’s laconic, arrogant line clearly reflected his personal philosophy: an ultra‑expansive view of presidential authority, especially as his administration at the time of the interview was contemplating or carrying out aggressive actions abroad (e.g., talks about Venezuela, Greenland, and broader military deployments, and the war on Iran planning), and critics were warning him that he would fall foul of legal or institutional checks and balances.
“I don’t have any moral compulsions except what I feel inside myself. I follow my own instinct. If I think it’s right, it’s right; I don’t have to listen to the press, the so‑called experts, or the establishment.”
By centring “his own morality” as the sole brake, Trump effectively was declaring that ethics, law, and precedent are optional for him. What matters to him really is his gut‑level sense of “what feels right”. That was the only real constraint on what he may do in war, sanctions, or territorial‑style maneuvers.
The above retort of the POTUS delivered in a dismissive tone clearly suggests that his personal sense of “rightness” supersedes legal, diplomatic, or ethical norms. In effect, it frames his war decisions not as constrained by international law, norms, or even traditional conservative‑realist doctrine, but by his own subjective “gut” and appetite for spectacle.
Given that he possesses that megalomaniac moral sense, it should surprise no one therefore that the imperious Donald Trump has gone on record in the last few weeks to make the most outrageous, repugnant and obnoxious statements ever made by a Head of State of the United States of America before him.
Just start scrolling:
On bombing, Europe, and personal whim
- “Bombing for fun” style line:
In a televised appearance, Trump suggested that he could continue the bombing campaign against Iran indefinitely, adding with a smirk that he might “keep bombing for fun.” This line encapsulates his tendency to frame a major war as an extension of personal will rather than a strictly calibrated military‑diplomatic strategy. - “Europeans are cowards”:
Speaking at a White House‑style briefing, Trump dismissed NATO and European partners, saying something very close to:“The Europeans are cowards. They talk a lot, but they didn’t come to our aid when it counted… nobody wanted to stand with us except a few Gulf countries.”He then repeatedly contrasted this with what he calls “strong friends” in the Gulf, portraying Europe as weak and unreliable in the Iran war.
On Saudi Arabia and Gulf allies
- “Saudi King came kissing my ass”:
At a Saudi‑backed event in Florida, Trump laced his remarks with crude, performative theatrics. About the Saudi Crown Prince, he said in substance:“He didn’t think this was going to happen. He didn’t think he’d be kissing my ass… he thought I would just be another American president of a country going downhill. But now he has to be nice to me… he better be nice to me.”Immediately afterward, he turned on the praise, calling the same Crown Prince a “fantastic man” and “a strong leader,” which underlines the transactional, almost vaudevillian tone of his war‑time rhetoric. - Gulf allies as “with us more than NATO”:
Trump has also said outright that Gulf states such as Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE have “stood with us more than NATO,” adding:“They’re doing more so far than NATO… in all fairness, they’re with us.” This line typically appears alongside his more vulgar quips, reinforcing the image of him as a deal‑maker who treats allies as props in a personal power‑show.
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America today is ruled not by its Constitution. It is now Pax Don Trumpia. And God Bless America!
Sudarshan Madabushi