On April 14, 2025, U.S. President Donald Trump welcomed El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele to the White House for a high-profile meeting focused on crime, immigration, and bilateral cooperation. The Oval Office discussion highlighted their shared tough-on-crime stances and sparked controversy over deportation policies, particularly regarding a Maryland man mistakenly sent to El Salvador’s notorious mega-prison. The meeting drew significant media attention and revealed tensions over legal and human rights issues.
Why Did Bukele Visit Trump?
Bukele’s visit aimed to strengthen ties with the Trump administration, building on an agreement where El Salvador has accepted hundreds of deportees from the U.S., including alleged gang members, into its Terrorism Confinement Center (CECOT). The leaders discussed expanding this arrangement, addressing crime in both nations, and exploring controversial proposals like sending U.S. citizens convicted of violent crimes to Salvadoran prisons. Bukele’s role as a key ally in Trump’s immigration crackdown was central, with El Salvador receiving $6 million from the U.S. to house deportees for a year.
The meeting included key figures from both administrations. Alongside Trump and Bukele, attendees were:
- U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi
- Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller
- Secretary of State Marco Rubio
- White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt (noted in later statements)
- Bukele’s delegation, including several female cabinet members, whom he jokingly referred to as “not DEI hires.”
What Was Discussed?
The conversation covered crime, immigration, and women’s rights, with a focus on El Salvador’s prison system and U.S. deportation policies. A major point was the case of Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia, a Maryland father wrongly deported to CECOT due to an “administrative error,” as acknowledged by the Trump administration. Despite a Supreme Court ruling urging the U.S. to “facilitate” his return, both leaders resisted.
Trump on Prisoners in El Salvador
Trump praised Bukele’s harsh prison system and expressed openness to sending U.S. citizens convicted of violent crimes to CECOT, pending legal review. He said, “If it’s a homegrown criminal, I have no problem. We’re studying the laws right now, Pam [Bondi] is studying. If we can do that, that’s good.” He urged Bukele to build more prisons, stating, “I’d like to include them,” referring to American criminals, and added, “We always have to obey the laws, but we also have homegrown criminals that push people into subways, that hit elderly ladies on the back of the head with a baseball bat when they’re not looking, that are absolute monsters.”
Trump also celebrated Bukele’s acceptance of deportees, saying on Truth Social, “President Bukele has graciously accepted into his Nation’s custody some of the most violent alien enemies of the World and, in particular, the United States. These barbarians are now in the sole custody of El Salvador, a proud and sovereign Nation, and their future is up to President B and his Government. They will never threaten or menace our Citizens again!”
Bukele defended his refusal to return Abrego Garcia, calling the idea absurd. He told reporters, “How can I return him to the United States? I smuggle him into the United States? Of course I’m not going to do it. The question is preposterous.” He labeled Abrego Garcia a “terrorist” and said, “I don’t have the power to return him to the United States.” Bukele argued his policies had transformed El Salvador, stating, “You want us to go back to releasing criminals so we can go back to being the murder capital of the world? That’s not going to happen.”
He also framed his crackdown as liberation, saying, “I like to say that we actually liberated millions,” to which Trump responded enthusiastically, “Do you think I can use that?” Bukele urged Trump to tackle U.S. crime decisively, stating, “Mr. President, you have 350 million people to liberate. You cannot just, you know, free the criminals and think crime is going to go down magically, you have to imprison them so you can liberate 350 million Americans that are asking for the end of crime and the end of terrorism, and it can be done.”
On women’s rights, Bukele criticized allowing men in women’s sports, calling it “violence against women.” Trump agreed, saying, “That’s abuse of a woman.”
Bukele directly clashed with CNN’s Kaitlan Collins over Abrego Garcia’s case. When pressed on releasing him, Bukele snapped, “I hope you’re not suggesting that I smuggle a terrorist into the United States.” His dismissive tone underscored his defiance, aligning with Trump’s frustration with media scrutiny. Trump himself sidestepped Collins’ follow-up, deferring to his team, with Bondi clarifying, “That’s up to El Salvador if they want to return him. That’s not up to us. The Supreme Court ruled that if El Salvador wants to return him … we would facilitate it: meaning, provide a plane.”
CNN anchor Kaitlan Collins faced sharp criticism from Trump as she pressed on the deportation of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Maryland resident mistakenly sent to El Salvador’s CECOT prison.
Collins asked, “Do you plan to ask President Bukele to help return the man who your administration says was mistakenly deported to El Salvador?” and later followed up, “You said if the Supreme Court said someone needed to be returned, you’d abide by that.” Trump dismissed her as a “very low-rated anchor,” snapped, “Why don’t you just say, ‘Isn’t it wonderful that we’re keeping criminals out of our country?’” and claimed, “That’s why nobody watches you anymore.” Bukele called her question “preposterous,” saying, “How can I smuggle a terrorist into the United States?” Despite the attacks, Collins maintained focus, later contextualizing the exchange on her show, noting Garcia’s legal protections and disputed MS-13 allegations, showcasing her resilience as a “joyful warrior,” as she described herself in a Vanity Fair feature.
Other Statements Made During the Meeting
- Pam Bondi: On Abrego Garcia, she said, “That’s up to El Salvador if they want to return him. That’s not up to us,” emphasizing U.S. limits on influencing El Salvador’s actions.
- Marco Rubio (from a February meeting): Described Bukele’s prison offer as “the most unprecedented and extraordinary migratory agreement anywhere in the world,” highlighting its global significance.
Press at the Meeting
The meeting attracted major media outlets, reflecting its contentious nature. Confirmed press included:
- CNN (Kaitlan Collins, who actively questioned both leaders)
- Reuters (reporters like Gram Slattery and Jeff Mason)
- The Associated Press (photographers and pool reporters)
- Fox News (covering the women’s sports discussion)
- Other outlets like The New York Times, The Washington Post, and NBC News reported extensively, indicating their presence or access to pool feeds.
El Salvador’s crime rate has plummeted under Bukele’s aggressive policies. In 2023, the National Police reported a 70% drop in homicides compared to 2022, with the murder rate falling to 2.4 per 100,000 people by 2024, among the lowest in the Americas. Bukele’s crackdown, launched in March 2022, has led to over 87,000 arrests, targeting gangs like MS-13 and Tren de Aragua. Critics, however, note that suspending constitutional rights, like due process, has led to wrongful detentions, with Bukele admitting some errors but defending the results.
Despite crime reductions, poverty remains a challenge. According to the World Bank, about 27% of Salvadorans lived below the national poverty line in 2023, down from 30% in 2019, but still significant. Extreme poverty affects roughly 8%, with rural areas hit hardest. Economic growth, driven by remittances and tourism, has been uneven, and Bukele’s prison-focused policies haven’t directly addressed structural issues like unemployment or education access.
The meeting wasn’t just about prisons. Trump and Bukele bonded over their outsider images and disdain for establishment critics. Trump called Bukele “President B” and praised his “fantastic job” with crime, while Bukele lauded Trump’s border policies as “remarkable.” They briefly touched on women’s sports, reflecting cultural priorities, with Bukele noting his female-heavy cabinet as evidence of genuine empowerment.
The Abrego Garcia case dominated headlines, symbolizing broader concerns about Trump’s deportation push. Legal experts called sending U.S. citizens to CECOT “unconstitutional,” citing a 1936 Supreme Court ruling (Valentine v. United States) requiring Congressional approval for citizen extradition. Human rights groups also criticized CECOT’s conditions—no visits, no education, and reports of torture—housing 10,000 to 20,000 inmates in cells designed for 65-70, with minimal amenities.
The meeting underscored a deepening U.S.-El Salvador alliance rooted in hardline policies, raising questions about legality and ethics. Trump’s willingness to explore deporting Americans and Bukele’s defiance of a U.S. court order highlighted their shared disregard for judicial constraints, alarming civil rights advocates. The $6 million deal and potential expansion of CECOT’s role signal a long-term partnership, but critics warn of human rights costs and diplomatic risks if abuses escalate.
This Oval Office exchange wasn’t just a policy discussion—it was a bold display of two leaders challenging norms, with global implications for immigration, crime, and sovereignty.
Highlights of the meeting that took place
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