Trump hosts El Salvador’s Nayib Bukele amid deportation controversy

WASHINGTON (NewsNation) — President Donald Trump hosted Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele at the White House on Monday. The country has found itself in the global spotlight after accepting U.S. migrant deportation flights at the center of a legal and political storm.

In the Oval Office, Trump told Bukele, “You are helping us out” by holding migrants deported from the U.S. in El Salvador’s notorious maximum-security prison near San Salvador.

Trump said his administration’s hardline policies have restored order along the U.S.-Mexico border. He said of the changes, “We’re proud of them. Now we just need to get the criminals and murders and rapists” out of “our country.”

Since March, El Salvador has accepted more than 200 Venezuelan immigrants accused by U.S. officials of gang activity and violent crimes. Many of them have been placed in El Salvador’s prison.

Among those deported is a Maryland man who was mistakenly sent to El Salvador and has not been returned to the United States despite court orders to do so.

Inside deportation efforts include a $6 million deal to bring those alleged gang members to El Salvador’s prison. The number of deportations continues to climb; Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced on Sunday that 10 additional alleged gang members have been sent to El Salvador.

DOJ pushes back on Kilmar Abrego Garcia order

The Department of Justice is pushing back on a Supreme Court ruling ordering the Trump administration to release Abrego Garcia, arguing the courts have no authority to force his return.

Trump referred questions about Abrego Garcia to Attorney General Pam Bondi, who said he was illegally in the U.S. and that courts have ruled that Abrego Garcia was a member of the MS-13 gang.

“That’s up to El Salvador if they want to return him. That’s not up to us,” Bondi said.

She called the issue “international matters” and “foreign affairs” and said the U.S. would facilitate Abrego Garcia’s return if El Salvador wanted to send him back by providing an airplane.

Bukele was asked if he plans to return Abrego Garcia, and he asked how he could return him and said it was “preposterous.” He called Abrego Garcia “a terrorist” and that he had no power to return Abrego Garcia to the United States.

As part of a judge’s order for reports on Abrego Garcia’s status, the State Department wrote in a filing, “He is alive and secure in that facility. He is detained pursuant to the sovereign, domestic authority of El Salvador.”

However, in a new court filing, the DOJ stated the courts cannot tell the Trump administration how to conduct foreign policy, arguing that because Abrego Garcia is in Salvadoran custody, the courts do not have the authority to compel the U.S. to facilitate his release.

The Trump administration has admitted a clerical error caused Abrego Garcia to be sent to El Salvador.

In a complaint, Abrego Garcia’s lawyers have disputed the government’s claims that he was in a gang. His lawyers have also suggested the U.S. send planes and personnel to El Salvador to bring him home.

Trump, Bukele discuss transgender athletes

Trump and Bukele discussed transgender athletes, with Trump asking, “Do you allow men to play in women’s sports?”

“That’s violence,” Bukele responded.

Trump said there are people in the U.S. who “fight to the death” to allow transgender athletes to play and Bukele said, “We’re big on protecting women.”

Though Trump frequently speaks about transgender athletes, he said, “I don’t like talking about it because I want to save it for just before the next election.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.