Trump Insists Wrongly Deported Man Has ‘MS-13’ Tattooed on His Knuckles
Wall Street Journal
By Tarini Parti
April 30, 2025 10:16 am ET
President Trump insisted in a television interview that the man his administration mistakenly sent to a Salvadoran prison has the letters and numbers “MS-13” tattooed on his knuckles.
Kilmar Abrego Garcia, who had been living in Maryland after entering the U.S. without authorization as a teen, has symbols tattooed on his knuckles that can be common among those without gang affiliations, including a marijuana leaf, skull, cross and a smiley face with X’s for eyes.
Trump posted a photo earlier in April on social media that appeared to show the tattoos on Abrego Garcia’s hand with “MS-13” digitally added above them. The White House has contended that the tattoos are affiliated with MS-13, a gang designated by the president as a foreign terrorist organization.
Recent photos of Abrego Garcia meeting with Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D., Md.) in El Salvador showed the symbols on Abrego Garcia’s hand, but not “MS-13.”
But in an interview with ABC News that aired Tuesday night, the president was adamant that Abrego Garcia’s knuckles were tattooed with the name of the gang.
“It says M-S-One-Three,” Trump said, dismissing ABC News correspondent Terry Moran’s pushback that the letters and numbers were added to the photo digitally.
The White House didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
In the interview, Trump insisted, “Do you want me to show the picture?”
After repeated attempts by Moran to move to a different subject, Trump declared: “He’s got MS-13 on his knuckles.”
Abrego Garcia has denied any gang involvement and has never been charged with a crime after living in the U.S. Abrego Garcia’s wife has challenged his deportation in court, and the Supreme Court directed the Trump administration to facilitate his return. But both the U.S. and El Salvador’s president, Nayib Bukele, have said they don’t have the authority to return Abrego Garcia.
During the interview, Trump said he could bring Abrego Garcia back if he wanted to. “If he were the gentleman that you say he is, I would do that,” Trump said. “I’m not the one making this decision.” 🤣
By Tarini Parti
April 30, 2025 10:16 am ET
President Trump insisted in a television interview that the man his administration mistakenly sent to a Salvadoran prison has the letters and numbers “MS-13” tattooed on his knuckles.
Kilmar Abrego Garcia, who had been living in Maryland after entering the U.S. without authorization as a teen, has symbols tattooed on his knuckles that can be common among those without gang affiliations, including a marijuana leaf, skull, cross and a smiley face with X’s for eyes.
Trump posted a photo earlier in April on social media that appeared to show the tattoos on Abrego Garcia’s hand with “MS-13” digitally added above them. The White House has contended that the tattoos are affiliated with MS-13, a gang designated by the president as a foreign terrorist organization.
Recent photos of Abrego Garcia meeting with Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D., Md.) in El Salvador showed the symbols on Abrego Garcia’s hand, but not “MS-13.”
But in an interview with ABC News that aired Tuesday night, the president was adamant that Abrego Garcia’s knuckles were tattooed with the name of the gang.
“It says M-S-One-Three,” Trump said, dismissing ABC News correspondent Terry Moran’s pushback that the letters and numbers were added to the photo digitally.
The White House didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
In the interview, Trump insisted, “Do you want me to show the picture?”
After repeated attempts by Moran to move to a different subject, Trump declared: “He’s got MS-13 on his knuckles.”
Abrego Garcia has denied any gang involvement and has never been charged with a crime after living in the U.S. Abrego Garcia’s wife has challenged his deportation in court, and the Supreme Court directed the Trump administration to facilitate his return. But both the U.S. and El Salvador’s president, Nayib Bukele, have said they don’t have the authority to return Abrego Garcia.
During the interview, Trump said he could bring Abrego Garcia back if he wanted to. “If he were the gentleman that you say he is, I would do that,” Trump said. “I’m not the one making this decision.” 🤣
