Washington, D.C. –President Donald J. Trump unleashed a fiery rebuke of CNN and the media, calling them “sick people” during a heated exchange at the White House, where El Salvador President Nayib Bukele firmly rejected the idea of returning an MS-13 terrorist to the United States.
The confrontation arose when CNN’s Kaitlan Collins pressed Bukele on whether El Salvador would extradite an MS-13 member, identified only as “Garcia,” to face charges in the U.S. Bukele dismissed the question as “preposterous,” stating, “How can I smuggle a terrorist into the United States? Of course I’m not going to do it.”
Bukele, known for his tough stance on crime, doubled down, emphasizing the need to prioritize public safety.
“You cannot just free the criminals and think that crime is going to go down magically,” he said. “You have to imprison them so you can liberate the 350 million Americans that are asking for the end of crime and the end of terrorism, and it can be done.”
Trump, standing alongside Bukele, praised the Salvadoran leader’s resolve and expressed admiration for his policies.
“I love the people of El Salvador, and they have one hell of a president,” Trump declared. Turning his attention to the media, he didn’t hold back, slamming their line of questioning.
“These are sick people,” Trump said, gesturing toward the press corps, prompting murmurs in the room.
Bukele reiterated his broader philosophy on crime control, stating, “You have 350 million people to liberate. But to liberate 350 million people, you have to imprison some.”
His remarks underscored his administration’s aggressive crackdown on gangs like MS-13, which has earned him both praise and criticism globally.
The exchange highlighted the strong alignment between Trump and Bukele on issues of crime and security, while further exposing tensions between the Trump administration and major media outlets.