Trump Admits He ‘Could’ Bring Back Abrego Garcia and Comply With Supreme Court – But Still Refuses
President Donald Trump said that although he “could” comply with a U.S. Supreme Court decision instructing him to arrange the return of Kilmar Abrego Garcia from a Salvadoran prison, he is declining to do so.
Abrego Garcia is a Salvadoran national who, until last month, was living in Maryland after entering the country illegally. A 2019 court order barred his deportation to El Salvador, but the order did not prevent the government from deporting him to another country.
Nevertheless, the Trump administration deported him and more than 250 others to El Salvador, where they are being incarcerated without due process at the expense of U.S. taxpayers. Trump and other officials have claimed Abrego Garcia is a “terrorist” and an MS-13 gang member, though they have not provided proof of those allegations. A 60 Minutes investigation found that at least 75% of the deportees have no criminal record.
Trump had previously claimed Abrego Garcia’s return was out of his hands, and up to Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele. However, the president admitted to ABC News that “I could” call Bukele and order his return.
Terry Moran of ABC News spoke with Trump in the Oval Office for an interview that aired on Tuesday night.
“And now, the Supreme Court upheld an order you must return him– facilitate his return to the United States,” Moran noted of Abrego Garcia. “What are you doing to comply?”
“This is a MS-13 gang member,” Trump claimed. “A tough cookie, been in lots of skirmishes, beat the hell out of his wife, and the wife was petrified to talk about him, ok? This is not an innocent, wonderful gentleman from Maryland.”
Abrego Garcia’s wife has pleaded for her husband’s return.
Here is the remainder of their exchange about the Supreme Court’s ruling:
MORAN: I’m not saying he’s a good guy. It’s about the rule of law. The order from the Supreme Court stands, Sir.
TRUMP: He came into our country illegally.
MORAN. You could get him back. [pointing to Resolute Desk] There’s a phone on this desk.
TRUMP: I could.
MORAN: 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.”
TRUMP: And if he were the gentleman you say he is, I would do that.
MORAN: But the court has ordered you to facilitate that– his release.
TRUMP: I’m not the one making this decision. We have lawyers–
MORAN: You’re the president!
TRUMP: –that don’t wanna do this.
MORAN: But the buck stops in this office.
TRUMP: No, no, no, no, no. 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 where he is.
MORAN: The Supreme Court says what the law is.
TRUMP: Listen, I was elected to take care of a problem that was– it was a unforced error that was made by a very incompetent man, a man that turned out to be incompetent that you always said was wonderful. A great genius, right? And now you find out, all of the media, they’re saying what a mistake they made.
Watch above via ABC News.
