The government must speak out against statements and actions by Trump that undermine international rules
The international legal order forms the foundation of the security of the Netherlands. This legal order consists of treaties, international agreements and alliances that protect countries against violence, arbitrariness and abuse of power. For countries such as the Netherlands, these rules are not an abstract ideal, but a necessary condition for being able to exist safely.
Over recent years, U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly made statements and taken actions that place these rules under pressure. He has publicly suggested that territorial acquisitions from other countries could be acceptable and has not explicitly ruled out military action. He has questioned election results, downplayed political violence against democratic institutions, publicly attacked independent judges and the media, and has shown that a foreign political leader was transferred to and detained by the United States outside existing multilateral arrangements.
These are not isolated incidents, but examples of a broader pattern in which power is placed above law and international rules become negotiable.
For the Netherlands, this has direct consequences. When influential countries abandon these norms and allies remain silent, the international legal order loses its protective force. This makes the Netherlands more vulnerable and undermines our security and our credibility as a reliable partner.
Despite repeated critical questions raised in the Dutch House of Representatives, the Dutch government has so far responded cautiously and diplomatically, without publicly drawing clear boundaries.
We demand that the Dutch government publicly and unequivocally speak out against statements and actions by President Trump that run counter to the international legal order, international treaties and fundamental rules governing relations between states, even when these actions originate from an ally. The Netherlands must openly communicate this position and explain it to the Dutch House of Representatives.
When fundamental rules are abandoned and the Netherlands remains silent, the government makes a choice.
That choice has consequences for our security, our credibility and our position in the world.
Hendrik Mulder Contact the author of the petition