In an exclusive interview with ABC News to commemorate his centenary in office, President Donald Trump said Tuesday that “he could” ensure the return of Kilmar Abrego García, Maryland’s man, his administration, said in the Court, was deported by mistake to El Salvador.
“Now the Supreme Court has confirmed an order that it must return it to the … facilitate its return to the United States. What are you doing to fulfill?” ABC News presenter and the senior national correspondent Terry Moran asked Trump in the Oval office.
“Well, the lawyer who said it was a mistake that was here for a long time, was not designated by us, should not have said that, I shouldn’t have said that,” Trump argued. Then, the president said that Abrego García is a member of the MS-13 criminal gang and “is not an innocent and wonderful gentleman of Maryland.” Abrego García’s lawyers have argued that it is not MS-13 and has not been accused or convicted of a crime.
“I do not say that it is a good guy. This is the rule of law. The order of the Supreme Court is, sir,” Moran told the president.
“He entered our country illegally,” Trump said.
“You could recover it. There is a phone on this desk,” Moran told Trump, pointing to the phone on the desktop resolved.
“Could,” Trump admitted.
“You could pick it up, and with everything …” Moran began to say.
“Could,” Trump said again.
“-The power of the presidency could call the president of El Salvador and say: ‘Send him back right now,'” said Moran.
“And if he were the gentleman who says it is, he would,” Trump offered, before saying: “It is not me who makes this decision.”
“You are the president,” Moran said.
“I … no, no, no, no. Yes … follow the law. You want the law to continue. If I were the president who just wanted to do something, I would probably keep him right where he is …” Trump said.
“The Supreme Court says what the law is,” said Moran.
Trump replied, referring to immigration, saying that “he was chosen to take care of a problem” that was an “unpaired error that was committed by a very incompetent man”, an apparent jab to President Joe Biden.
