Donald Trump's long-awaited meeting with El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele took place in the Oval Office today, and it's never been clearer that the small Central American country is becoming one of the United States' strongest allies, especially when it comes to cracking down on illegal immigration and crime. Trump called Bukele "one hell of a president," and Bukele told him that regarding the deportation of violent illegal aliens, "We're very happy and we're very eager to help," and "We're a small country, but if we can help, we will do it."
.@POTUS: "I want to just say hello to the people of El Salvador and say they have one hell of a President."@nayibbukele: "We actually turned the 'murder capital of the world' -- into the safest country in the western hemisphere... We liberated millions." pic.twitter.com/npiVZNoFWn
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) April 14, 2025
Like Trump, Bukele has no patience for criminal activity, which is how he's turned El Salvador from a nightmare of a place to live to one of the safest places in the world. During his remarks, he said:
We actually turned the murder capital of the world — that what the journalists call it, right? — murder capital of the world into the safest country in the Western Hemisphere. And sometimes they say that we imprison thousands. I like to say that we actually liberated millions.
And in fact, Mr. President, you have 350 million people to liberate, but to liberate 350 million people, you have to imprison some. You know, that's the way it works, right? You cannot just free the criminals and think crime's gonna 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 terrorists.
Trump went on to explain that "We're a great country, but we had stupid people running the country" and referred to Joe Biden, the "low IQ president," and his open border policies.
Bukele's little jab at the press was a bit of a precursor for what followed when the two men took questions from the media. The Salvadoran president told Trump that what he was doing at the border was "remarkable" and that he'd heard the number of crossings had dropped 95%. Trump responded and said that as of Monday morning, the number was actually 99.1%, to which Bukele asked, "Why doesn't your media report this?"
That's when Trump began unleashing on the fake news, specifically CNN. "Well they get out, but the fake news, you know, like CNN — CNN over here doesn't want to put them out because they don't like, they don't like putting out good numbers... Because I think they hate our country, actually. But it's, it's a shame. You're right. Isn't that a great question? Why doesn't the media, why don't they put out numbers?" he said.
.@nayibbukele: "What you're doing with the border is remarkable. It has dropped 95%."@Sec_Noem: "It's been absolutely phenomenal what a great leader can do. Clear direction. Our laws matter." pic.twitter.com/zbzAngQXVR
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) April 14, 2025
Later, Trump called on "this very low-rated anchor," who I believe was CNN's Kaitlan Collins. She used her time to ask about Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia, the MS-13 gang member "mistakenly deported" to El Salvador. Trump let Attorney General Pam Bondi take this question, and she explained that the man was in the country illegally and that in 2019, two courts ruled that he was a member of the violent gang MS-13. She pointed out that the Supreme Court ruled that if El Salvador wants to return him, the United States would facilitate it. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Homeland Security advisor Stephen Miller both spoke up as well, obliterating Collins for asking a stupid question.
Miller had a particularly great line: "He's an illegal alien from El Salvador. So with respect to you, he's a citizen of El Salvador, so it's very arrogant, even, for American media to suggest that we would even tell El Salvador how to handle their own citizens as a starting point."
Rubio and Miller also pointed out that no court had the right to conduct the foreign policy of the United States; that's the president's job.
.@POTUS, @AGPamBondi, and Deputy Chief of Staff @StephenM destroy Fake News CNN pic.twitter.com/y9c1imt7Af
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) April 14, 2025
And just when you thought they couldn't pile on Collins anymore, they allowed Bukele to respond on whether or not he'd return Garcia to the United States. His response was perfect.
How could I? How can I smuggle? How can I return him to the United States? Like, I smuggle him into the United States or what do I do? Of course, I'm not gonna do it... the question is preposterous. How can I smuggle a terrorist into the United States? I don't have the power to return him to the United States.
.@nayibbukele: "The question is preposterous. How can I smuggle a terrorist into the United States? I don't have the power to return him to the United States." pic.twitter.com/PyrXqO4bvJ
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) April 14, 2025
Trump eventually lost his patience and finished Collins off when he said, "Why can't you just say it's wonderful that you're keeping criminals out of our country? That's why no one watches you anymore." It was glorious to watch. Far more entertaining than anything else we see on TV these days.
Finally, a reporter asked Trump how many illegal immigrant criminals he's planning on sending to El Salvador. Trump's response? "As many as possible." He explained that it's much cheaper to house criminals there than it is in the U.S. and even floated the idea of potentially sending barbaric U.S. citizen criminals there eventually, though he admitted he'd have to look into the laws behind that. He even joked about having Bukele build more prisons.
REPORTER: "How many illegal criminals are you planning on exporting to El Salvador?"@POTUS: "As many as possible." pic.twitter.com/Ch4W4gXeJ3
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) April 14, 2025
Trump touched on other headlines during the meeting. He condemned the arson at Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro's home over the weekend, spoke on how the war in Ukraine would have never started on his watch, and reiterated that Iran can't have a nuclear weapon.
He also touched on the topic of men in women's sports, the Democrats' favorite hill to die on, to which Bukele said, "that's violence." Bukele said they do not allow that in El Salvador and then pointed to his own team that he brought with him — three Salvadoran female officials who sat on the sofa opposite JD Vance, Rubio, and Bondi. "They are not DEI hires; they're just good at what they do," Bukele said.
Trump also spoke on how well his physical and cognitive examination went last week and talked tariffs. I'll wind this up with a video of one more little jab the president made at Collins because I just can't resist.
.@POTUS shuts down a very rude @kaitlancollins of Fake News CNN (again) 🔥 pic.twitter.com/6kfMPNEeVf
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) April 14, 2025
The fake news media is on its way out, as was evident today, and new media outlets like us and our Townhall sister sites are gaining steam because people recognize that we're not biased against the president and his administration. We actually recognize the positive work he's doing and want to share it with you.
Thanks to our PJ Media VIP members, we're able to bring you the truth behind the fake news media headlines. Would you be willing to help us keep going? Not only is it cheap to do so — $1.63 a month or less than $20 per year — but you gain a few cool perks too. Click this link to sign up today, and use the code word FIGHT to make sure you get the best price. We can't wait for you to join us!
Join the conversation as a VIP Member