United States President Donald Trump has dismissed international law, saying only his “own morality” can curb the aggressive actions his administration is pursuing worldwide following the abduction of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.

In an interview with The New York Times on Thursday, Trump said he does not need to strictly follow international law and that its relevance depends on how it is defined.

“I don’t need international law. I’m not looking to hurt people,” he said.

Trump’s willingness to use military force was evident last Saturday, when US troops carried out an early-morning operation in Caracas, seizing Maduro from Venezuelan military facilities.

Critics say the operation violated the United Nations Charter, which prohibits the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of a state.

Following the operation, Trump claimed the US would control Venezuela and exploit its oil reserves, while working with interim President Delcy Rodriguez.

The administration has repeatedly threatened further military action if its demands are not met.

“If she doesn’t do what’s right, she is going to pay a very big price, probably bigger than Maduro,” Trump said in an interview with The Atlantic.

Trump has also hinted at potential military action against Colombia’s leftist President Gustavo Petro and escalated efforts to acquire Greenland.

In June, the president ordered Israeli-backed airstrikes on Iran’s main nuclear sites.

Aides like Stephen Miller have criticised the post-World War II international order, emphasising that the US will use its military power “unapologetically” to secure national interests.

Experts warn that Trump’s dismissal of international law could have far-reaching consequences.

Margaret Satterthwaite, UN special rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers, called the rhetoric “extremely dangerous,” warning that it risks a return to an “age of imperialism.”

“International law cannot stop states from doing terrible things if they’re committed to doing them,” Satterthwaite said, adding that weakening these rules could encourage other countries to act aggressively.

Yusra Suedi, assistant professor of international law at the University of Manchester, said the trend toward ignoring international norms sends a dangerous signal to other nations, including China regarding Taiwan and Russia in Ukraine.

Ian Hurd, political science professor at Northwestern University, noted that US interventions in Latin America over the past century have often caused instability and human rights abuses, citing examples in Panama, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Chile.

He warned that Trump’s policies in Venezuela follow a familiar pattern of US interventionism with unpredictable consequences.