Donald Trump clashed with an ABC journalist in a fiery exchange during a sit-down to mark the president’s first 100 days back in office.
The president told Terry Moran he had “never heard of him” and that he was “not being very nice”. The pair butted heads a number of times during the interview, notably over a discussion of deported El Salvador native and Maryland father Kilmar Abrego Garcia, and evidence — or lack thereof — that he was a member of the MS-13 gang.
Trump pointed to an image of Abrego Garcia that he claimed showed him with gang tattoos on his knuckles. The image, however, shared by the president previously, has been sharply challenged – with critics claiming the photo had been digitally altered.
There’s no other evidence linking Abrego Garcia to the gang.
Moran challenged the president on the point, telling him that the link to the criminal gang was “disputed.”
“Wait a minute, wait a minute. He had MS-13 on his knuckles,” Trump replied. Moran tried several times to move the interview on to the next topic, to no avail. “It says MS 13,” Trump said.
“That was Photoshopped,” Moran replied, provoking a bemused response from the president. Trump then indicated that he personally chose Moran to conduct the interview for ABC.
“They’re giving you the big break of a lifetime, you know, you’re doing the interview,” Trump said. “I picked you because, frankly, I never heard of you, but that’s OK.”
Trump then stressed again that he picked Moran for the interview adding: “But you’re not being very nice.”
When Moran tried once again to move the interview along, Trump challenged him again.
“Do you want me to show you the picture?” he said, to which Moran replied: “I saw the picture.”
It could be “interpreted that way ... I want to turn to Ukraine,” Moran added.
“No, no, no, no,” Trump persisted. “He had ‘MS,’ as clear as you can be, not interpreted … This is why people no longer believe the news.”
The letters “MS” have not previously been seen on photos of Abrego Garcia’s hands.
The president described Moran’s comments as a “disservice,” asking him: “Why don't you just say, “Yes, he does,’ and you know, go on to something else?”
Moran and Trump also butted heads over controversy-plagued former Fox News host and current Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who recently shared secret plans for strikes on Houthi rebels in Yemen on group chats using Signal, a message system not approved by the Pentagon for sensitive information.
When Moran quizzed Trump about Hegseth, the president responded: “I had a talk with him, and whatever I said I probably wouldn’t be inclined to tell you.”
Trump added: “We had a good talk. He’s a talented guy. He’s young. He’s smart, highly educated. And I think he’s gonna be a very good defense — hopefully a great Defense secretary.”
When asked if he had “100 percent confidence” in Hegseth, Trump snapped: “Do I have a 100 percent? It’s a stupid question.”
In another startling answer, Trump admitted that he “could” bring back Maryland father Kilmar Abrego Garcia, who was mistakenly deported to a brutal El Salvador prison, as the Supreme Court has ordered — and that he would do so if he deemed Abrego Garcia a “gentleman.” He has claimed in the past he has no ability to do so, even though his administation was ordered to “facilitate” Abrego Garcia’s return.
“The power of the presidency, you could call up the president of El Salvador and say, ‘Send him back,’ right now,” said Moran.
Trump answered: “And if he were the gentleman that you say he is, I would do that.”
Trump also said there was no way people targeted for deportation could each have a hearing or due process, again, as the Supreme Court has ordered.
Finishing off the interview Trump took aim at media outlets, singling out ABC as “one of the worst.”
