Politics
WATCH: Trump Brings Out The Receipts After ABC Interviewer Asks Him To Return MS-13 Gangbanger
An otherwise cordial meeting between President Donald Trump and ABC News quickly became contentious when the station’s reporter tried to pin him down on whether he believes he carries the authority to free an alleged MS-13 gang member from an El Salvadoran mega-prison.
Challenged by Terry Moran to “pick up the phone” on his desk and call Nayib Bukele, El Salvador’s president, and demand the release of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, Trump slapped down the reporter’s claim that he was flouting a ruling to do so by the U.S. Supreme Court.
“Well, the lawyer that said it was a mistake was here a long time, was not appointed by us, should not have said that,” Trump said about a former U.S. Justice Department lawyer who was fired for failing to defend Garcia’s deportation.
“Just so you understand, the person that you’re talking about, you know, you’re making this person sound — this is a MS-13 gang member, a tough cookie, been in lots of skirmishes, beat the hell out of his wife, and the wife was petrified to even talk about him, OK? This is not an innocent, wonderful gentleman from Maryland,” he added.
On Wednesday the NY Post obtained documents from a 2018 custody battle between Garcia’s wife and her ex-husband where the latter claimed that Garcia is a member of the violent gang.
“I’m not saying he’s a good guy. It’s about the rule of law. The order from the Supreme Court stands, sir,” Moran replied.
Earlier this month, the Supreme Court ordered the Trump administration to “facilitate” the return of Garcia, an ambiguous statement that officials say simply requires them to offer a plane if Bukele decides to release Garcia from prison.
When Trump pointed out that Garcia was, regardless, living illegally in the U.S. and therefore not eligible to return, Moran cut in, saying the president could easily “get him back.”
“You could get him back. There’s a phone on this desk. You could pick it up, and with all the power of the presidency, you could call up the President of El Salvador and say, ‘Send him back. Right now,’” Moran said.
“And if he were the gentleman that you say he is, I would do that. But he’s not,” Trump responded.
WATCH:
Wednesday’s news about Garcia’s alleged gang membership was just the latest evidence against the so-called Maryland man.
In 2022, Tennessee State Police reported pulling Garcia over while he was transporting seven other individuals from Texas, all crammed into a single vehicle without luggage. The vehicle was later found registered to an individual Garcia claimed to work for, who had previously been convicted of human trafficking.
Garcia was ultimately released at the time following a call by the Biden administration’s FBI to allow all eight individuals to leave the traffic stop.
Moran continued to argue with the president, claiming it was his duty to “facilitate” the return of Garcia.
“You’re the president. But the buck stops in this office,” Moran pushed.
“No, no, no, no,” Trump shot back. “I follow the law. You want me to follow the law? If I were the president that just wanted to do anything, I’d probably keep him right where he is.”
