[JumpCrisscross]

> His defenders kept, and keep, using it as an excuse

Genuine request for a source here.

[tome]

Seconded. I don't recall hearing anyone talk about "the rules based order" until a couple of years ago.

[ModernMech]

When Trump talks about rules, laws, and order it’s in the “L'État, c'est moi” (the state is me) sense. I.e. following the law means following his whims.

[joshuahaglund]

https://time.com/5846321/nixon-trump-law-and-order-history/

(They said law and order, because they couldn't say anti black)

[JumpCrisscross]

> (They said law and order, because they couldn't say anti black)

Law and order != rules-based international order.