Suspected MS-13 gang member Kilmar Abrego Garcia — whose deportation to El Salvador by the Trump administration triggered a meltdown by Democrats — reportedly bragged he could kill his wife and get away with it.
Garcia’s wife, Jennifer Vasquez Sura, wrote in an August 3, 2020 request for a motion for a protective order against him, “I also have a [recording] that [he] told my ex-mother-in-law that even if he kills me no one can do anything to him,” The New York Post <a href="https://nypost.com/2025/04/30/us-news/kilmar-abrego-garcia-bragged-he-could-kill-his-wife-and-get-away-with-it-court-docs/">reported</a>. The document reportedly revolved around a fight over a phone Garcia took from her, during which he locked their children in their bedroom and locked her out of the house.
“Me and my kids are afraid now. He kicked me, pushed me, slapped me in the face and threatened me,” she reportedly stated in the document.
New bodycam footage has been released showing a Tennessee state trooper in 2022 stopping Garcia and openly suspecting him of human trafficking.
The footage acquired by Fox News Digital revealed that when law enforcement stopped Garcia for speeding, he had eight people in the car. “You’ve got a bunch of people here, don’t you?” the trooper said to Garcia. “Where you workin’ at?”
“St. Louis, Missouri,” Garcia answered. “Where do you live at?” the trooper asked. “I live in Maryland,” Garcia replied.
“You know what you got here,” the trooper stated after the confrontation. “He’s hauling these people for money. You got an 8-hauler, is what he’s doing. &#8230; He’s getting paid to haul these people, probably to Maryland, I would say.” One of the officers stopping Garcia could be seen making a phone call; a source told Fox News that on the call, the officer spoke to someone at the FBI who advised police not to detain Garcia. The source also said officers spoke to ICE, but they never showed up.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
BREAKING: We just got our hands on the bodycam footage of the “Maryland dad.” Kilmar Abrego Garcia was a suspect in a human trafficking operation in 2022. WATCH WHAT HAPPENED… <a href="https://t.co/Cot5ZHTUGz">pic.twitter.com/Cot5ZHTUGz</a>
&mdash; Jesse Watters (@JesseBWatters) <a href="https://twitter.com/JesseBWatters/status/1918115606345257219?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 2, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Attorney General Pam Bondi has said that multiple courts have concluded that Garcia was a member of the deadly MS-13 gang.
“He was illegally in our country … and in 2019, two courts, an immigration court and an appellate immigration court, ruled that he was a member of MS-13,” Bondi said. “That’s up to El Salvador if they want to return him, that’s not up to us.&#8221;
President of El Salvador, Nayib Bukele, has said he will not release Garcia.

Hispanic Caucus Members Demand Return Of Immigrant Deported To El Salvador Prison

Dem Darling ‘Maryland Man’s’ Wife: He Bragged He Could Kill Me And Get Away With It

Democrats

Donald Trump

El Salvador

Immigration

Kilmar Abrego Garcia

MS-13 Gang

Nayib Bukele

Politics

Democrat Sen. Chris Van Hollen (MD) is playing defense after his photo-op with an illegal immigrant and alleged MS-13 gang member didn&#8217;t go as planned.
As highlighted by <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/sipping-margaritas-dem-senator-finally-meets-deported-illegal-immigrant-in-el-salvador?author=Daniel+Chaitin&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=6&amp;row=1&amp;rowHeadline=Hotwire&amp;rowType=Four+Column+Grid&amp;title=‘Sipping+Margaritas’%3A+Dem+Senator+Finally+Meets+Deported+Illegal+Immigrant+In+El+Salvador" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Daily Wire</a>, El Salvador President Nayib Bukele mocked Van Hollen&#8217;s meeting with migrant Kilmar Abrego Garcia, who was sent to an El Salvador prison by the Trump administration.
“Kilmar Abrego Garcia, miraculously risen from the ‘death camps’ &amp; ‘torture’, now sipping margaritas with Sen. Van Hollen in the tropical paradise of El Salvador!” Bukele said, adding a tropical drink emoji to the post.
Two of the photos, seen below, include glasses with what appears to be either salt or sugar on the rim with a cherry garnish.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Kilmar Abrego Garcia, miraculously risen from the “death camps” &amp; “torture”, now sipping margaritas with Sen. Van Hollen in the tropical paradise of El Salvador!🍹 <a href="https://t.co/r6VWc6Fjtn">pic.twitter.com/r6VWc6Fjtn</a>
— Nayib Bukele (@nayibbukele) <a href="https://twitter.com/nayibbukele/status/1913028548001923259?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 18, 2025</a></blockquote>
Responding to the mockery, Van Hollen claims he didn&#8217;t sip &#8220;any margaritas or sugar water or whatever it is&#8221; when he met with Garcia, despite the glasses being put on the table. Notably, it was Van Hollen&#8217;s office that provided some photos of the meeting to the media.
&#8220;Let me just be very clear, neither of us touched the drinks that were in front of us,&#8221; the Democrat said, according to Fox News. &#8220;And if you want to play a little Sherlock Holmes, I’ll tell you how you can know that. … If you sip out of one of those glasses, some of whatever it was — salt or sugar — would disappear. You would see a gap. There’s no gap.&#8221;
&#8220;Nobody drank any margaritas or sugar water or whatever it is,&#8221; he emphasized.
Van Hollen then turned his attention to Bukele and President Donald Trump, seemingly blaming them for the spoiled photo-op.
&#8220;This is a lesson into the lengths that President Bukele will do to deceive people,&#8221; he said. &#8220;And it also shows the lengths that the Trump administration and the president will go to, because when he was asked by a reporter about this, he just went along for the ride.&#8221;
Trump reacted Friday on X to Democrats and their allies in the media defending Garcia, who has a history of allegedly <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/deported-illegal-immigrant-who-dems-have-championed-accused-of-beating-wife-court-docs?author=Amanda+Prestigiacomo&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=1&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Deported+Illegal+Immigrant+Who+Dems+Have+Championed+Accused+Of+Beating+Wife%3A+Court+Docs" target="_blank" rel="noopener">beating his wife</a> in addition to alleged MS-13 ties.
&#8220;This is the hand of the man that the Democrats feel should be brought back to the United States, because he is such ‘a fine and innocent person,'&#8221; Trump wrote. &#8220;They said he is not a member of MS-13, even though he’s got MS-13 tattooed onto his knuckles, and two Highly Respected Courts found that he was a member of MS-13, beat up his wife, etc. I was elected to take bad people out of the United States, among other things. I must be allowed to do my job. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
This is the hand of the man that the Democrats feel should be brought back to the United States, because he is such “a fine and innocent person.” They said he is not a member of MS-13, even though he’s got MS-13 tattooed onto his knuckles, and two Highly Respected Courts found… <a href="https://t.co/31sNr2k1SK">pic.twitter.com/31sNr2k1SK</a>
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1913358867708493982?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 18, 2025</a></blockquote>
The White House also chimed in, telling Sen. Van Hollen that Garcia is &#8220;NOT coming back&#8221; to the United States.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Fixed it for you, <a href="https://twitter.com/nytimes?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NYTimes</a>.
Oh, and by the way, <a href="https://twitter.com/ChrisVanHollen?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ChrisVanHollen</a> — he’s NOT coming back. <a href="https://t.co/VoAphh2ZPY">pic.twitter.com/VoAphh2ZPY</a>
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) <a href="https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/1913241658579440126?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 18, 2025</a></blockquote>
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/sipping-margaritas-dem-senator-finally-meets-deported-illegal-immigrant-in-el-salvador?author=Daniel+Chaitin&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=6&amp;row=1&amp;rowHeadline=Hotwire&amp;rowType=Four+Column+Grid&amp;title=‘Sipping+Margaritas’%3A+Dem+Senator+Finally+Meets+Deported+Illegal+Immigrant+In+El+Salvador" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Dem Senator Finally Meets Deported Illegal Immigrant In El Salvador</a>

Sen. Chris Van Hollen Meets With Wrongly Imprisoned Man Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia in El Salvador

Democrat Denies Sipping Those Margaritas With Suspected MS-13 Member

Democratic Party

Illegal Immigration

Trump Administration

World

Trump officials should &#8220;cancel vacations&#8221; and &#8220;other appointments&#8221; until they prove that they have taken steps to return Salvadoran man, Kilmar Abrego Garcia, to the United States, a federal judge ordered on Tuesday.
U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis told Trump administration lawyers during a hearing that they have two weeks to comply with her discovery requests and prove that the administration has sought to bring Abrego Garcia back to the United States, Fox News <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/cancel-vacations-judge-gives-trump-admin-two-weeks-prove-arent-contempt-of-court" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>. The White House maintains that his deportation was justified, alleging that the Salvadoran man who was living in Maryland is a member of the violent gang MS-13.
Xinis said that in two weeks, she would look at the Trump administration&#8217;s discovery submissions and determine whether it has complied with her order or is in contempt of court.
&#8220;Just so everyone knows what my current thinking is, Abrego Garcia already won his injunctive proceedings,&#8221; Xinis told Trump&#8217;s lawyers. &#8220;We’re here today to talk about scope of the remedies.&#8221;
&#8220;You made your jurisdictional arguments. You made your venue arguments. You made your arguments on the merits. You lost,&#8221; the judge added.
Last week, the Supreme Court partially <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/scotus-rules-partially-against-trump-in-deported-migrant-case" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ruled</a> against the Trump administration, pointing to Xinis&#8217; order that it must “facilitate,” but not necessarily “effectuate,” the return of Abrego Garcia. The high court added, &#8220;The intended scope of the term ‘effectuate’ in the district court’s order is, however, unclear, and may exceed the district court’s authority.”
Judge Xinis <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/facilitate-not-effectuate-wh-responds-to-scotus-ruling-on-mistakenly-deported-salvadoran" target="_blank" rel="noopener">amended</a> her order following the Supreme Court ruling and required that the Trump administration “take all available steps to facilitate the return of Abrego Garcia to the United States as soon as possible.”
Just before the hearing on Tuesday, Department of Homeland Security acting General Counsel Joseph Mazzara said in a court filing that if Abrego Garcia is returned to the United States, he will immediately be taken into custody by DHS agents and deported to another country, according to Fox News.
In 2019, an immigration judge ordered Abrego Garcia to be deported, citing his alleged involvement in MS-13, but prohibited the federal government from sending him back to El Salvador over concerns that Abrego Garcia would face persecution. Despite the Trump administration previously admitting to mistakenly sending the Salvadoran man back to his home country on a deportation flight, Stephen Miller, the White House deputy chief of staff for policy, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/stephen-miller-blames-doj-saboteur-for-claiming-salvadoran-migrant-mistakenly-deported?author=Tim+Pearce&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Stephen+Miller+Blames+DOJ+%E2%80%98Saboteur%E2%80%99+For+Claiming+Salvadoran+Migrant+Mistakenly+Deported" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> on Monday that Abrego Garcia &#8220;was not mistakenly sent to El Salvador.&#8221;
&#8220;He is an illegal alien from El Salvador,” Miller told Fox News host Bill Hemmer. “In 2019, he was ordered deported. He [has] a final removal order from the United States. These are things that no one disputes. Where is he from? El Salvador. Where is he a resident and citizen of? El Salvador. Is he here illegally? Yes. Does he have a deportation order? Yes.”
Miller then claimed that a &#8220;saboteur&#8221; within the Justice Department is to blame for stating that Abrego Garcia&#8217;s deportation was a mistake.
“A DOJ lawyer – who has since been relieved of duty, a saboteur, a Democrat – put into a filing incorrectly that this was a mistaken removal. It was not. This was the right person sent to the right place,” Miller added.
Trump officials are now saying that they cannot do anything more to bring Abrego Garcia back to the United States, saying that his fate now rests in El Salvador&#8217;s hands.
&#8220;That&#8217;s up to El Salvador if they want to return him,&#8221; Attorney General Pam Bondi said. &#8220;That&#8217;s not up to us.&#8221;
Trump&#8217;s border czar Tom Homan <a href="https://www.mediaite.com/tv/trump-border-czar-bows-to-el-salvador-claims-they-have-full-authority-over-us-regarding-return-of-migrant/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">added</a>, &#8220;Now the courts are saying we have to facilitate? We’ll facilitate, but El Salvador has full authority on this.&#8221;
Trump met with Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele in the Oval Office on Monday, and the two leaders were asked about Abrego Garcia. Bukele told reporters that it is &#8220;<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-officials-bukele-tear-into-cnn-reporter-who-asked-if-illegal-alien-will-be-returned-to-u-s" target="_blank" rel="noopener">preposterous</a>&#8221; to suggest that his government would send Abrego Garcia back to the United States.
&#8220;How can I smuggle a terrorist into the United States?&#8221; he asked.
The White House has slammed the legacy media and Democrats for focusing attention on a man the Trump administration alleges is a violent gang member and sex trafficker. Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) said on Tuesday that he is on his way to El Salvador with hopes of meeting with &#8220;senior government officials to discuss the return of Kilmar Abrego Garcia.&#8221;
White House Communications Director Steven Cheung ripped Van Hollen on X, writing, &#8220;Chris and his bedwetting friends have shown more concern and sympathy for an illegal MS-13 gang member than victims of horrific migrant crimes. He is a complete disgrace to his office and should be thoroughly shamed for his disgusting actions.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Chris and his bedwetting friends have shown more concern and sympathy for an illegal MS-13 gang member than victims of horrific migrant crimes. He is a complete disgrace to his office and should be thoroughly shamed for his disgusting actions. <a href="https://t.co/ClcUYAccgN">https://t.co/ClcUYAccgN</a>
&mdash; Steven Cheung (@StevenCheung47) <a href="https://twitter.com/StevenCheung47/status/1912509302843101496?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 16, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Trump/Bukele

Trump Admin Has 2 Weeks To Show Steps Taken For Returning Salvadoran Man, Judge Orders

Courts

Judge

A Senate Democrat announced plans to travel to El Salvador later this week if an alleged MS-13 gang member, who was detained last month in Maryland, deported, and imprisoned in his home country, is not returned to the United States.
Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) issued the statement on Monday as an ultimatum, expressing his desire to speak with El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele, who is currently in Washington, D.C., to meet with President Donald Trump.
&#8220;Kilmar Abrego Garcia never should have been abducted and illegally deported, and the courts have made clear: the Administration must bring him home, now,&#8221; Van Hollen <a href="https://www.vanhollen.senate.gov/news/press-releases/van-hollen-requests-meeting-with-president-bukele-to-discuss-return-of-kilmar-abrego-garcia-announces-intent-to-travel-to-el-salvador-this-week-if-abrego-garcia-is-not-returned" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>. &#8220;However, since the Trump Administration appears to be ignoring these court mandates, we need to take additional action.&#8221;
He continued, &#8220;That’s why I’ve requested to meet with President Bukele during his trip to the United States, and — if Kilmar is not home by midweek — I plan to travel to El Salvador this week to check on his condition and discuss his release.&#8221;
The Trump administration has <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/facilitate-not-effectuate-wh-responds-to-scotus-ruling-on-mistakenly-deported-salvadoran" target="_blank" rel="noopener">accused</a> Garcia, who illegally entered the United States but got permission to stay in 2019, of being an MS-13 gang member. Garcia&#8217;s attorneys have <a href="https://www.thebaltimorebanner.com/politics-power/national-politics/van-hollen-demands-maryland-man-return-ALNOE5THZZHQLP2NAAWQYP3GJ4/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reportedly</a> denied there is evidence of such a claim. The Supreme Court <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/scotus-rules-partially-against-trump-in-deported-migrant-case" target="_blank" rel="noopener">issued</a> a ruling last week that said the government must “facilitate,” but not necessarily “effectuate,” Garcia&#8217;s return amid a legal battle.
On Monday, White House Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy Stephen Miller <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/stephen-miller-blames-doj-saboteur-for-claiming-salvadoran-migrant-mistakenly-deported" target="_blank" rel="noopener">dismissed</a> claims that Garcia was deported by mistake and contended that the withholding order the suspect received six years ago is no longer valid because the Trump administration has designated MS-13 as a foreign terror organization.
While meeting Trump at the White House on Monday, Bukele <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-officials-bukele-tear-into-cnn-reporter-who-asked-if-illegal-alien-will-be-returned-to-u-s" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> that he would not send Garcia back. &#8220;How can I smuggle a terrorist into the United States?&#8221; Bukele said to reporters, adding, &#8220;I don&#8217;t have the power to return him.&#8221;
Van Hollen also revealed on Monday that he sent a letter to El Salvador&#8217;s U.S. ambassador, Milena Mayorga, &#8220;urgently&#8221; requesting a meeting with Bukele.
The Democrat senator faced some blowback from the GOP for his efforts.
&#8220;Young girls are being abused, Americans are being killed, and our communities are being overrun by illegals — and Democrats like Chris Van Hollen are busy fighting for people who shouldn’t even be here while ignoring the needs of real Americans,&#8221; Rep. Mary Miller (R-IL) <a href="https://x.com/RepMaryMiller/status/1911839877215240448" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> in a post on X, adding, &#8220;Disgraceful!&#8221;

Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD)

Dem Senator’s Ultimatum: Bring Back Deported MS-13 Suspect Or I’ll Go To El Salvador

Congress

Illegal Immigation

Maryland

U.S. House of Representatives

President Donald Trump said on Monday that he believed Iran was trying to slow-walk any potential nuclear deal with the United States because they were &#8220;used to dealing with stupid people in this country.&#8221;
Trump made the comments during an Oval Office meeting with Salvadorian President Nayib Bukele — whose cooperation has been an essential part of the Trump administration&#8217;s efforts to deport alleged dangerous illegal alien gang members affiliated with Tren de Aragua and MS-13.
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a>: &quot;Iran has to get rid of the concept of a nuclear weapon. They cannot have a nuclear weapon&#8230; I think they&#39;re tapping us along because they were so used to dealing with stupid people in this country.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/tfMQXo1GGu">pic.twitter.com/tfMQXo1GGu</a>
&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1911817403622695111?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 14, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;Iran wants to deal with us but they don&#8217;t know how,&#8221; Trump explained. &#8220;They really don&#8217;t know how. We had a meeting with them on Saturday. We have another meeting scheduled next Saturday — I said that&#8217;s a long time. You know, that&#8217;s a long time, so I think they might be tapping us along.&#8221;
&#8220;Iran has to get rid of the concept of a nuclear weapon. They cannot have a nuclear weapon,&#8221; Trump added, turning to Bukele, who was next to him, continuing,  &#8220;He can&#8217;t have a nuclear weapon. We can&#8217;t have anybody having nuclear weapons, you know? We can&#8217;t have nuclear weapons. And I think they&#8217;re tapping us along because they were so used to dealing with stupid people in this country.&#8221;
Trump went on to say that Iran had been more or less under control — largely because he had restricted their cash flow — during his first administration.
&#8220;I had Iran perfect, you had no attacks, you would have never had October 7th in Israel, the attack by Hamas,&#8221; Trump said then, adding, &#8220;Because Iran was broke, they were stone-cold broke when I was president, and I don&#8217;t want to do — I want them to be a rich, great nation! The only thing is, one thing — simple, it&#8217;s really simple — they can&#8217;t have a nuclear weapon. And they got to go fast, because they&#8217;re fairly close to having one, and they&#8217;re not going to have one — and if we have to do something very harsh, we&#8217;ll do it. And I&#8217;m not doing it for us, I&#8217;m doing it for the world. These are radicalized people.&#8221;

President Trump Meets With El Salvador President Nayib Bukele At The White House

Trump: Iran Is Slow-Walking Nuclear Deal Because They’re ‘Used To Dealing With Stupid People’

Trump: Iran Is Slow-Walking Nuclear Deal Because They're 'Used To Dealing With Stupid People'

Executive

Global Politics

Iran

Nuclear Weapons

The United States and China continue their tariff war, the Supreme Court rules on several emergency requests, and El Salvador’s president is set to visit the White House.
It’s Monday, April 14, and this is the news you need to know to start your week. If you’d rather listen to your news, today’s edition of the Morning Wire podcast can be heard below:
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<iframe style="width: 100%; max-width: 660px; overflow: hidden; border-radius: 10px;" src="https://embed.podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/china-escalates-trade-war-trump-scotus-victories-4-14-25/id1576594336?i=1000703434916" height="175" frameborder="0" sandbox="allow-forms allow-popups allow-same-origin allow-scripts allow-storage-access-by-user-activation allow-top-navigation-by-user-activation"></iframe>
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<h2>Trade Negotiations Continue</h2>
<div id="attachment_902939" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-902939" class="size-large wp-image-902939" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/GettyImages-2208185431-864x576.jpg" alt="WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 02: U.S. President Donald Trump holds up a chart while speaking during a “Make America Wealthy Again” trade announcement event in the Rose Garden at the White House on April 2, 2025 in Washington, DC. Touting the event as “Liberation Day”, Trump is expected to announce additional tariffs targeting goods imported to the U.S." width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/GettyImages-2208185431-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/GettyImages-2208185431-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/GettyImages-2208185431-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/GettyImages-2208185431.jpg 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />(Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)</div>
Topline:  President Donald Trump will host a number of foreign leaders for trade negotiations this week as Congress prepares to pass a crucial spending package. Meanwhile, China has cut off shipments of rare earth minerals and magnets after Trump paused most tariffs for everyone but them.
Beijing predictably responded by raising its own tariffs on U.S. goods from 84% to 125%. The communist nation went a step further Sunday, halting the export of rare earth minerals and magnets.
For context, China produces upwards of 60% of the world’s rare earth minerals and 90% of all rare earth magnets, which are crucial for high-tech chips, semiconductors, batteries, and car manufacturing. That pause could have significant impacts on the American auto and tech industries. The White House says the fact that America is so reliant on Chinese products shows how crucial it is to increase American manufacturing and form stronger trade alliances elsewhere. 
Stateside, President Trump made big news over the weekend, announcing that electronics like smartphones and laptops will temporarily be exempt from tariffs. That’s a major relief to tech giants like Apple, Nvidia and Microsoft. The White House said those exemptions would be temporary — presumably, they’re sending a message to Beijing that they better make a deal before they become permanent. 
Public Perception: A <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/poll-trump-tariffs-13-04-2025/">CBS</a> poll this weekend showed that just 42% of Americans favor tariffs on imported goods, compared to 58% who oppose them, while Trump&#8217;s approval rating on the economy fell to 44%. Similarly, the University of Michigan’s closely watched <a href="https://www.sca.isr.umich.edu/">Consumer Sentiment Index</a> fell 11% to its lowest point since the COVID lockdowns. Americans cited the potential for rising inflation and unemployment as their biggest areas of concern.
In better news for the president, that same CBS poll found that nearly 60% of Americans believe Trump is using tariffs as a negotiating tool — so that message seems to have gotten through. <a href="https://x.com/ForecasterEnten/status/1910714949418045563?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">Quinnipiac</a> found that Republicans and Democrats are now tied on the question of “Which party cares more for the needs of people like you.” For decades, Democrats have had a massive, oftentimes twenty-point lead on that question. It now appears that more and more Americans view Republicans as caring about the needs of average people. That is a generational shift indicative of where Trump is taking the party economically. 
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<h2>Supreme Court Scoreboard</h2>
<div id="attachment_907193" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-907193" class="size-large wp-image-907193" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/SCOTUS-Facade-1-864x576.jpg" alt="" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/SCOTUS-Facade-1-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/SCOTUS-Facade-1-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/SCOTUS-Facade-1-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/SCOTUS-Facade-1-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/SCOTUS-Facade-1-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/SCOTUS-Facade-1-1800x1200.jpg 1800w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/SCOTUS-Facade-1-1200x800.jpg 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />(Al Drago/Getty Images)</div>
Topline: The Supreme Court weighs several of Trump’s executive actions. How is his agenda faring – and what’s next on the docket? 
The Trump administration is at the center of several high-stakes battles before the Supreme Court. The rulings are testing the limits of executive power on issues ranging from deportations to federal regulations. At this point, SCOTUS has ruled on six emergency applications, and thus far, the president is faring well. 
One of the most significant rulings we’ve seen has been on the Alien Enemies Act. It’s a somewhat unique legal case where both sides—the Trump administration and the ACLU—are claiming victory. The administration argued that Venezuelan gangs like Tren de Aragua pose such a national security threat, and under the authority of that 1798 Act, they can remove alleged gang members rapidly, without hearings, because they’re not U.S. citizens. Last week, SCOTUS lifted a lower judge’s block on those deportations, but it did add some guardrails. Detainees must now receive notice and due process. 
In addition, the Supreme Court also overturned a lower court decision ordering Trump to rehire 16,000 probationary federal employees. In a 7-2 ruling, SCOTUS found the organizations suing lacked standing since individual workers weren’t part of the lawsuit.
On the Docket: Next week, the court will hear arguments regarding the president&#8217;s claim of immunity from prosecution over his efforts to overturn the 2020 election. There are also challenges to executive orders on birthright citizenship and federal funding cuts in the pipeline. But so far, the court has been notably restrained. Many analysts are pointing out that Chief Justice Roberts is steering the court toward narrow, technical rulings to avoid blockbuster showdowns with Trump.
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<h2>Bukele Visits the White House</h2>
<div id="attachment_907027" style="width: 875px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-907027" class="size-large wp-image-907027" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/GettyImages-1171054018-865x576.jpg" alt="US President Donald Trump and President Nayib Bukele of El Salvador shake hands as they hold a meeting in New York, on September 25, 2019, on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly. (Photo by SAUL LOEB / AFP) (Photo credit should read SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images)" width="865" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/GettyImages-1171054018-865x576.jpg 865w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/GettyImages-1171054018-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/GettyImages-1171054018-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/GettyImages-1171054018.jpg 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 865px) 100vw, 865px" />(SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images)</div>
Topline:  President Trump is set to welcome El Salvador’s president to the White House on Monday – after what Trump’s calling a “model” deal to deport alleged violent gang members.
The president of El Salvador, Nayib Bukele, arrived in Washington, D.C. on Sunday. The administration has worked closely with the Salvadoran leader on immigration and the detainment of suspected foreign gang members. The United States has sent about 250 illegal immigrants with suspected gang ties to a high-security prison in El Salvador. The two leaders have been on remarkably positive terms; White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the relationship has “become a model for others to work with” the Trump administration.
“I think [Bukele]&#8217;s doing a fantastic job and taking care of a lot of problems that we really wouldn’t be able to take care of from a cost standpoint,” Trump <a href="https://x.com/Karla_veron1/status/1911444833874424126">told</a> reporters over the weekend.
In addition to immigration, trade may also be on the agenda. Trump and Bukele haven’t mentioned this publicly, but El Salvador is technically under a blanket 10% tariff that Trump put into place last week. Roughly a third of El Salvador’s exports are sent to the United States, meaning the impact of the tariff on their economy could be significant.
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Morning Brief: China Escalates Trade War, SCOTUS Scoreboard & Trump Hosts Bukele

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WASHINGTON —Nayib Bukele, the President of El Salvador, has arrived in Washington, D.C., to meet with President Donald Trump amid legal disputes over the United States deporting illegal aliens to El Salvador.
&#8220;Looking forward to seeing President Bukele, of El Salvador, on Monday!&#8221; Trump posted on Truth Social on Saturday. &#8220;Our Nations are working closely together to eradicate terrorist organizations, and build a future of Prosperity. 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.&#8221;
&#8220;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,&#8221; Trump added. &#8220;They will never threaten or menace our Citizens again!&#8221;
The Salvadorian president will be at the White House on Monday to meet with Trump, where they “will discuss El Salvador’s partnership on using their supermax prison for Tren de Aragua and MS-13 gang members and how El Salvador’s cooperation with the United States has become a model for others to work with this administration,&#8221; White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said earlier this week.
Speaking with reporters on Saturday evening about Bukele, and asked whether he has concerns about the El Salvador prison to which illegal criminals in the United States have been deported, Trump responded: &#8220;No, I think he&#8217;s doing a fantastic job. And he&#8217;s taking care of a lot of problems that we have that we really wouldn&#8217;t be able to take care of from cost standpoint.&#8221;
&#8220;He&#8217;s been amazing,&#8221; Trump added. &#8220;We have some very bad people in that prison. People that should have never been allowed into our country.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
🇺🇸🤝🏼🇸🇻 <a href="https://t.co/INGtvffDdg">pic.twitter.com/INGtvffDdg</a>
— Nayib Bukele (@nayibbukele) <a href="https://twitter.com/nayibbukele/status/1911215433300037830?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 13, 2025</a></blockquote>
Trump invited the president of El Salvador to the United States in a letter that Bukele posted publicly last week, writing: &#8220;Your support of my efforts to combat illegal immigration is greatly appreciated. For far too long, our southern border has been an open door. With the assistance of friends like you, we have made great progress in protecting Americans from illegal border activity.&#8221;
&#8220;Also of great importance to our partnership is your willingness to use El Salvador&#8217;s new superman prison for Tren de Aragua and MS-13 gang members,&#8221; Trump added. &#8220;You have shown real leadership and are a model for others seeking to work with the United States.&#8221;
The visit comes after the Supreme Court ruled against the Trump administration and upheld a lower court decision stating that the White House must facilitate the return of a Salvadorian national, Kilmar Abrego Garcia, back to the U.S. from the El Salvador prison he was deported to. The United States deported him for being an alleged MS-13 member, but his legal team insists he does not have any ties to the gang.
<div id="attachment_907029" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-hails-fantastic-bukele-ahead-of-white-house-meeting-with-el-savadors-president/topshot-el-salvador-us-diplomacy" rel="attachment wp-att-907029"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-907029" class="wp-image-907029 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/GettyImages-2197002091-864x576.jpg" alt="" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/GettyImages-2197002091-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/GettyImages-2197002091-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/GettyImages-2197002091-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/GettyImages-2197002091-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/GettyImages-2197002091-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/GettyImages-2197002091-1800x1200.jpg 1800w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/GettyImages-2197002091-1200x800.jpg 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" /></a>US Secretary of State Marco Rubio (L) meets with El Salvador&#8217;s President Nayib Bukele at his residence at Lake Coatepeque in El Congo municipality, El Salvador, on February 3, 2025.  (Photo by MARK SCHIEFELBEIN/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)</div>
Earlier last week, on Monday, the Supreme Court lifted a judge&#8217;s order blocking the deportation of suspected Venezuelan gang members to El Salvador under the Alien Enemies Act.
<div dir="ltr">Secretary of State Marco Rubio slammed judges blocking the Trump administrations deportations during a press conference with reporters, saying: &#8220;We can’t live in a country – it’s just not constitutional – where judges are now conducting the foreign policy of the United States.&#8221;</div>
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&#8220;The trip to El Salvador was one of the first trips I did,&#8221; he explained. &#8220;I think it was two weeks in, maybe three weeks in, as Secretary of State. I met with Bukele. I’ve known him for a long time. He’s very pro-American, very – likes the President a lot. He’s going to be visiting here pretty soon – I think maybe next week it is when he’s going to be coming to the Oval Office. And he agreed; he said, look, I’ve built these prisons and I will house people here. First of all, he wants his MS-13 killers that are in the United States, because they’re wanted for crimes in El Salvador too.&#8221;
Rubio also said that Bukele is willing to hold members of &#8220;this dangerous Venezuelan gang, and he’s doing it at a fraction of the cost of what it would cost us here in the United States to hold them.&#8221;
&#8220;This is one of the most dangerous gangs ever, Tren de Aragua, one of the most dangerous gangs you’ve ever seen,&#8221; he added. &#8220;They go in, they take over entire communities, and we want them out of the country. And Venezuela wasn’t taking them, so we had to find a place to send them, and he has the perfect place to send them. And that’s a deal we cut with him back in early February, and this was the execution of it. We’re very grateful.&#8221;
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Trump Hails ‘Fantastic’ Bukele Ahead Of White House Meeting With El Savador’s President

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