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UN response to president's 'I don't need international law' remark: 'redouble' message to member states
Summary
When asked about a reported quote from U.S. President Donald Trump saying "I don't need international law," the UN spokesperson said the secretary-general's response is to 'redouble his message' urging all member states to respect international law they helped create.
A reporter asked the UN for the secretary-general's reaction after reading an excerpt from a wide-ranging interview in which President Donald Trump was quoted as saying, "I don't need international law."
Spokesperson Gabriel Vaniti said the secretary-general's reaction would be to "redouble his message to all member states, to respect the international law they themselves created." He added that the UN continues to press for adherence to international legal obligations and that the secretary-general's public statements reflect that position.
When pressed about whether smaller or less powerful states must be expected to "obey" the United States, the spokesperson said the UN does not speak for other countries and reiterated the secretary-general's public remarks that emphasize "the might of the law." Vaniti declined to speculate on other states' responses and closed the briefing shortly afterward.
