Original | Odaily Planet Daily (@OdailyChina)

Author | jk

In this week's Oval Office at the White House, four reporters from The New York Times faced President Trump in a rare, nearly two-hour long interview.

"My power is only constrained by one thing, and that is my own morality," Trump said, "I don't need international law." In the interview, he discussed everything from Venezuela to Greenland, from the Federal Reserve to family businesses, from immigration policy to the list of pardons, this interview essentially clarified the power logic behind Trump's second term.

Here are the seven key points you need to know from this interview.

Next Federal Reserve Chair Selected, But Refuses to Reveal

Trump stated he has already decided who to nominate as the next Federal Reserve Chair, but refused to disclose the name during the interview. "I have made a decision in my mind," he said during the interview on Wednesday night, "but I haven't talked to anyone about it."

When specifically asked about his chief economic advisor Kevin A. Hassett, Trump said "I don't want to say," but described him as "certainly one of my favorite people."

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stated at an event on Thursday that Trump is expected to make a decision on the Federal Reserve Chair this month, possibly around the time of the Davos World Economic Forum. Bessent also hinted that the job is not necessarily secured for Hassett, mentioning there are a total of four candidates.

According to the intent of the U.S. Congress, the Federal Reserve needs to be protected from political interference to ensure the central bank can pursue low and stable inflation and a healthy labor market without obstruction. However, Trump has been outspoken about his desire to see the central bank act according to his wishes.

Trump made it clear that his Federal Reserve Chair nominee must support lowering borrowing costs, even stating that anyone who disagrees with him will never get the job.

Whoever Trump chooses will take over a Federal Reserve at a critical moment. At this time, Trump is pressuring the Federal Reserve to significantly lower borrowing costs. Powell will serve as Chair until his term ends in May, and he has become one of Trump's frequent targets of attack; it is hard to imagine what kind of storm the next Chair will face if they fail to meet the President's demands.

No Intent to Pardon SBF or Other High-Profile Figures

Trump also stated he has no intention of pardoning Sam Bankman-Fried, a question raised by The New York Times when inquiring whether Trump would pardon a series of high-profile individuals.

Other notable figures mentioned include:

• Nicolás Maduro: the recently captured Venezuelan leader facing charges of drug terrorism and conspiracy to import cocaine;
• Robert Menendez: former Senator from New Jersey, convicted in 2024 for trading political influence for gold, cash, and a Mercedes convertible;
• Sean Combs (also known as Puff Daddy or Diddy): who wrote to President Trump seeking a pardon, but Trump stated he would not consider approving that request.

When asked if he would consider pardoning Derek Chauvin, the former Minneapolis police officer who knelt on George Floyd during his arrest in 2020, Trump said, "No one has ever asked me that question."

Last month, Trump pardoned former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernández, but when The New York Times asked him if he would consider pardoning Maduro, who also faces drug trafficking-related charges, the President said, "No, I don't think so."

Maduro has pleaded not guilty to federal charges.

U.S. Control Over Venezuela May Last for Years

Trump stated that U.S. oversight and oil extraction in Venezuela could last for many years. When asked how long specifically, whether three months, six months, a year, or even longer, he replied, "I would say much longer."

Trump expects the U.S. to operate in Venezuela for several years and extract oil from the country's vast reserves. The U.S. has already announced it will receive 30 to 50 million barrels of Venezuelan heavy crude oil. However, Trump also acknowledged that revitalizing Venezuela's neglected oil industry will take years.

Trump expressed great pride in the successful capture of Maduro, stating he closely monitored the training of the task force, revealing that the troops built a one-to-one replica model of the Caracas fortress at a military facility in Kentucky for this operation.

Trump emphasized that Maduro's allies, namely the current interim government, are "giving us everything we think is necessary."

Trump also dodged several questions: regarding why he recognized Maduro's Vice President Delcy Rodríguez as the new leader of Venezuela, why he does not support opposition leader Machado, and did not mention when elections would be held in Venezuela.

When asked how long the U.S. government would require direct oversight of this South American country, he said, "Only time will tell."

Just hours before Trump made these remarks, government officials indicated that the U.S. plans to maintain actual control over Venezuela's oil sales indefinitely, as part of a three-phase plan outlined by Secretary of State Rubio to Congress.

"I Don't Need International Law," Trump Claims His Power is Only Constrained by "His Own Morality"

When asked if there are any limits to his global power, Trump made the most straightforward statement: "Yes, there is one thing. My own moral compass. My own thoughts. That is the only thing that can stop me."

He added, "I don't need international law. I'm not trying to hurt anyone." When reporters pressed further on whether his administration needs to comply with international law, Trump said, "I will comply," but made it clear that he will decide when those constraints apply to the U.S. "It depends on what your definition of international law is," he said.

He made it clear that he would leverage his reputation for being "unpredictable" and his willingness to resort to military action to coerce other countries.

Notably, shortly after the New York Times reporters sat down with him, Trump paused the interview to take a call from Colombian President Gustavo Petro. Just days earlier, Trump had threatened Colombia for being a hub for drug trafficking.

The content of the conversation was not made public, but the leader was evidently concerned about Trump's potential to launch an attack on Colombia similar to that on Venezuela.

After the call with Petro, Trump dictated a social media post to his assistant, stating that the Colombian president called to "explain the drug situation."

After the approximately one-hour call ended, the New York Times reporter stated, "The call seemed to eliminate any direct threat of U.S. military action." Trump then stated that he believes the collapse of Maduro's regime has intimidated other leaders in the region, "making them compliant."

The New York Times claimed they witnessed the actual workings of Trump's "coercive diplomacy."

Greenland Sovereignty Issue: Trump Insists on "Ownership"

Trump reiterated the stance that the U.S. must own Greenland, claiming that merely reopening military bases on the land based on a 1951 treaty is not enough.

"Ownership is very important," Trump said. The New York Times commented that he discussed Greenland with the "perspective of a real estate mogul." The land is three times the size of Texas but has a population of less than 60,000. "I think psychologically, ownership is essential for success. Whether you're talking about leasing or treaties, ownership gives you something that you can't get otherwise. Ownership provides elements that you can't get from signing documents."

When asked which is a higher priority, Greenland or NATO, Trump refused to answer directly but acknowledged, "That could be a choice." He made it clear that without the U.S. at its core, the transatlantic alliance is essentially useless.

Family's Crypto Activities and Overseas Business Transactions "No Problem"

Trump made it clear in the interview that he is not at all troubled by concerns over conflicts of interest arising from his family's global money-making activities over the past year.

"I banned them from doing business during my first term, but I never got any recognition for it," he said. "I didn't have to do that. It was really unfair to them." He added: "I found that no one cares, and I am allowed to do it."

Donald Trump Jr. had previously expressed similar views, but the President responded more comprehensively to concerns about his family's economic interests than in the past. The White House has repeatedly stated that Trump and his family never engage in conflicts of interest, and he always puts the interests of Americans first.

He also added that he has never accepted a presidential salary.

Trump defended his support for the cryptocurrency industry, in which his family has become a major player. "I gained a lot of votes for supporting cryptocurrency, and I started to like it," Trump said. "But he stated that the strong push for cryptocurrency is to make the U.S. the global leader in the industry."

Advancing "De-naturalization" Plan, Specifically Targeting Somali-Americans

Trump stated that his administration is taking steps to strip some naturalized Americans of their citizenship, with a particular focus on the Somali community.

"If they are not honest, I will not hesitate to do so," Trump said during the interview in the Oval Office. "I think many people from Somalia hate our country."

Trump said his administration is reviewing the standards for stripping citizenship. He indicated that this measure is not limited to the Somali community but refused to specify which other groups of foreign-born American citizens his government is targeting.

This would be a significant escalation of Trump's immigration crackdown, which has already begun to extend beyond targeting illegal immigrants. The New York Times reported last month that the government issued guidance to the field offices of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, instructing them to "provide 100-200 de-naturalization cases to the immigration litigation office each month for fiscal year 2026."

Under federal law, citizenship can only be stripped in cases of fraud during the application for citizenship or in a few other specific circumstances. However, activists warn that de-naturalization actions could affect those who made honest mistakes on their citizenship documents.

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