Trump says he doesn't need international law, the grown-ups nod knowingly
When Donald Trump declares he doesn’t need international law, the mainstream media may raise an eyebrow, but anyone with a memory beyond the last news cycle already knows. After all, wasn't it the United States that refused to ratify the International Criminal Court (ICC) treaty, actively worked to undermine it, and even sanctioned its prosecutors for investigating alleged US war crimes in
Afghanistan? The double standard isn't new; it's a bipartisan tradition. One might recall the long history of US interventions and coups (Iran 1953, Chile 1973, Nicaragua 1980s), often flouting sovereignty and international norms. Trump’s candor simply vocalizes a 'might makes right' philosophy that has quietly guided US foreign policy, regardless of who occupies the Oval Office. The outrage often
comes not from the disregard for law itself, but from the lack of diplomatic euphemism. It’s what former President Barack Obama called 'the international order' when justifying drone strikes and interventions abroad, just with different branding. The 'age of imperialism' a UN rapporteur frets about returning didn't actually go anywhere; it just bought fancier suits and perfected its PR.