Trump news at a glance: president says his morality is ‘the only thing that can stop me’

President gives interview to New York Times as tensions mount at home and abroad over his federal and military actions – key US politics stories from 8 January 2026

Does the president of the United States need to follow international law?

According to Donald Trump, that “depends on what your definition of international law is”.

In a new interview with the New York Times, Trump said the only constraint to his power as president 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.”