Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele said Monday that he has no plans to return a Maryland man wrongfully deported to a prison in his country, telling reporters, “Of course I’m not going to do it.”
Bukele’s Oval Office meeting with President Trump was the first since the Supreme Court ruled last week that the U.S. must “facilitate” the return of Kilmar Abrego Garcia.
However, both Trump and Bukele suggested they don’t have the power to return the Maryland man and Salvadoran national to the U.S., with several Trump administration figures gathered in the office mischaracterizing the substance of the court’s order.
“How could I return him to the United States? I smuggle him to the United States? Of course I’m not going to do it. The question is preposterous,” Bukele said, going on to refer to Abrego Garcia as a terrorist.
“I don’t have the power to return him to the United States. I’m not releasing — I mean, we’re not very fond of releasing terrorists into our country,” he added, saying El Salvador is no longer the murder capital of the world.
Before Bukele spoke, Trump and a number of his aides suggested the decision would rest with El Salvador.
“That’s up to El Salvador if they want to return him. That’s not up to us,” Attorney General Pam Bondi said.
Trump repeatedly bashed CNN reporter Kaitlan Collins and the network for asking about Abrego Garcia.
“How long do we have to answer this question from you? Why don’t you just say, ‘Isn’t it wonderful that we’re keeping criminals out of our country?’” Trump remarked.
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