This week in the Oval Office, four reporters from The New York Times conducted a rare, nearly two-hour-long interview with President Trump.
“My power is only bound 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 his family business, from immigration policy to the amnesty list, essentially explaining the power logic behind his second term.
Here are seven key takeaways from this interview:
He has chosen his next Federal Reserve Chairman, but declined to reveal his name.
Trump stated that he has decided who to nominate as the next Federal Reserve Chairman, but declined to reveal his name during the interview. “I’ve already made up my mind,” he said in the interview Wednesday night, “but I haven’t spoken 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 favorites.”
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said at an event on Thursday that President Trump is expected to make a decision on the Federal Reserve chairmanship this month, possibly around the time of the World Economic Forum in Davos. Bessent also hinted that the job has not yet been decided for Hassett, stating that there are four candidates in total.
According to the original intent of the US Congress, the Federal Reserve needs to be protected from political interference, ensuring that the central bank can pursue low and stable inflation and a healthy labor market without hindrance. However, Trump has consistently stated outspokenly that he wants to see the central bank act according to his wishes.
Trump has made it clear that his nominee for Federal Reserve chairman must support lowering borrowing costs, even stating bluntly that anyone who disagrees with him will never get the job.
Regardless of who Trump chooses, the successor will be taking over a Fed at a critical juncture. At this moment, Trump is pressuring the Fed to significantly reduce borrowing costs. Jerome Powell, who will serve as chairman until the end of his term in May, has become one of Trump's frequent targets; it's hard to imagine what kind of storm the next chairman will face if he fails to meet the president's demands.
No intention to pardon SBF, nor other prominent figures
Trump also stated that he has no intention of pardoning Sam Bankman-Fried, a question raised by the New York Times when asked if Trump would pardon a series of prominent figures.
Other high-profile figures mentioned include:
Nicolás Maduro: The recently arrested Venezuelan leader facing charges of drug terrorism and conspiracy to import cocaine;
Robert Menendez: A former New Jersey senator convicted in 2024 of exchanging political influence for gold, cash, and a Mercedes convertible;
Sean Combs (aka Puff Daddy or Diddy): Wrote to President Trump seeking a pardon, but Trump indicated he would not consider granting the request.
When asked if he would consider pardoning Derek Chauvin, the former Minneapolis police officer who knelt on George Floyd's neck during his 2020 arrest, Trump said, "Nobody's ever asked me that."
Trump pardoned former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernández last month, but when the New York Times asked him if he would consider pardoning Maduro, who also faces drug trafficking charges, the president said, "No, I don't think so."
Maduro pleaded not guilty to federal charges.
US control over Venezuela could last for years.
Trump stated that US oversight and oil extraction in Venezuela could last for years. When asked to specify whether it would be three months, six months, a year, or even longer, he replied, "I would say much longer."
The US has announced it will receive 30 to 50 million barrels of Venezuelan heavy crude oil. However, Trump also acknowledged that reviving Venezuela's neglected oil industry will take years.
Trump was very proud of the successful operation to capture Maduro, saying he oversaw the entire training process of the troops and revealed that the troops built a one-to-one replica of the Caracas fortress at a military facility in Kentucky for the operation.
Trump emphasized that Maduro's allies, the current interim government, are "giving us everything we think is necessary."
Trump simultaneously dodged several questions: why he recognized Maduro's vice president, Delcy Rodríguez, as Venezuela's new leader, why he didn't support opposition leader Machado, and he didn't mention when elections would be held in Venezuela.
When asked how long the U.S. government would demand direct oversight of the South American country, he said, "Only time will tell."
Trump's remarks came hours after government officials stated that the U.S. planned to maintain de facto control over Venezuelan oil sales indefinitely, as part of a three-phase plan outlined by Secretary of State Rubio to members of Congress.
“I don’t need international law,” Trump said, claiming his power is only bound by his “own morality.”
When asked if there were any limitations to his global power, Trump made the most blunt statement: “Yes, there is one thing. My own morality. My own thoughts. That’s the only thing that stops me.”
He added, “I don’t need international law. I’m not here to hurt people.” When pressed further about whether his administration was required to abide by international law, Trump said, “I will,” but made it clear that he would decide when those constraints applied to the United States. “It depends on what you define international law,” he said.
This clearly indicates that he will use his reputation for “unpredictability” and his willingness to quickly resort to military action to coerce other countries.
Most notably, shortly after a New York Times reporter sat down to speak with him, Trump paused the interview to take a phone call with Colombian President Gustavo Petro. Days earlier, Trump had threatened to target Colombia because the country is a drug trafficking hub.
The content of the conversation was not made public, but the leader clearly expressed concern about a possible Venezuelan-like attack on Colombia by Trump.
Following his call with Petro, Mr. Trump dictated a social media post to an aide, stating that the Colombian president had called to “explain the drug situation.”
After the approximately one-hour call, a New York Times reporter stated that “the call seemed to eliminate any immediate threat of U.S. military action.” Trump subsequently stated that he believed the collapse of the Maduro regime had deterred other leaders in the region, “making them compliant.”
The New York Times claimed they witnessed firsthand the actual operation of Trump’s “coercive diplomacy.”
Greenland Sovereignty: Trump Insists on “Ownership”
Simply reopening military bases on the land under the 1951 treaty is insufficient.
“Ownership is very important,” Trump said. The New York Times commented that he discussed Greenland with “the eyes of a real estate tycoon.” The land is three times the size of Texas but has a population of less than 60,000. “I think psychologically, ownership is necessary for success. Whether you’re talking about a lease or a treaty, ownership gives you something you can’t get. Ownership gives you elements you can’t get by signing a document.”
Donald Trump has expressed similar views before, but the president has addressed concerns about his family's financial interests more comprehensively than in the past. The White House has repeatedly stated that Trump and his family never engage in conflicts of interest and that he always puts the interests of Americans first.
He also added that he has never received a presidential salary.
Trump defended his support for the cryptocurrency industry, where his family has become a major player. "I got a lot of votes for supporting cryptocurrency, and I've started to like it," Trump said. "But he says the reason for pushing cryptocurrency so strongly is to make America a global leader in the industry."
Pushing forward with "de-naturalization" plans, specifically targeting Somali Americans
Trump stated that his administration is taking steps to revoke the citizenship of some naturalized Americans, with a particular focus on Somali people.
"If they're not honest, I won't hesitate to do it," Trump said in an interview in the Oval Office. "I think a lot of people from Somalia hate our country."#$ETH
Trump said his administration is reviewing the criteria for revoking citizenship. He stated that the measure is not limited to the Somali community, but declined to specify which other foreign-born U.S. citizens his government is targeting.#BTCVSGOLD
This would be a significant escalation of Trump's immigration crackdown, which has begun to extend beyond targeting undocumented immigrants. The New York Times reported last month that the government issued guidance to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services field offices, requiring them to "provide the Office of Immigration Litigation with 100-200 denaturalization cases per month in fiscal year 2026."#WriteToEarnUpgrade
Under federal law, citizenship can only be revoked if one has committed fraud or other specific offenses when applying for citizenship. However, activists warn that the denaturalization campaign could affect those who made honest errors on their citizenship documents.#StrategyBTCPurchase #USNonFarmPayrollReport #USTradeDeficitShrink