A senior researcher argues that the Trump administration violated international law in its dealings with Venezuela and Iran while European politicians have remained largely silent.
Hans Mouritzen, a senior researcher at the Danish Institute for International Studies, claims that the Trump administration has openly violated international law in its actions regarding the abduction of Venezuelan President Maduro and two armed attacks on Iran in 2025 and 2026. He emphasizes that this aggressive foreign policy approach is not merely unprecedented in its direct actions but also in its lack of attempts to legitimize these deeds, contrasting with previous administrations. The actions taken by the Trump administration, including a series of threatening diplomatic negotiations leading to direct military aggression, represent a significant departure from established international norms and agreements.
Mouritzen further connects these incidents to broader diplomatic strategies employed by the Trump administration, highlighting that while negotiations were ongoing with Iran, the administration utilized these talks as a facade to enable surprise military strikes. He questions the effectiveness and credibility of international diplomacy under such circumstances, suggesting that the expected norms of diplomatic engagement were subverted for the sake of tactical military advantage, thereby undermining international law in favor of unilateral actions.
The article critiques the response of European politicians, who traditionally uphold the principles of an 'international order.' Mouritzen rhetorically questions why there has been a relative silence from these leaders regarding such blatant violations of international law science. He points out the discrepancy between European commitments to diplomatic dialogue and their reaction to the Trump administration’s behavior, raising concerns about the implications of this complicity or passivity for both global governance and European credibility in international affairs.
