Donald Trump says he’s fine bringing Abrego Garcia back — But admits no direct request to El Salvador President Bukele

US President Donald Trump said he would have no personal objection to returning Kilmar Abrego Garcia to the United States for legal proceedings, but insisted the decision rests with his attorneys. "Bringing him back and retrying him wouldn't bother me, but I leave that up to my lawyer," Trump told Time magazine in a wide-ranging interview on his administration’s response to a Supreme Court order.

Denies defying Supreme Court ruling

Trump defended his handling of the case after the Supreme Court ruled 9-0 that the US must facilitate the release of Abrego Garcia, a Maryland man wrongfully deported to El Salvador.

Asked if he was defying the Court, Trump responded, "Well, that’s not what my people told me—they said the nine to nothing was something entirely different."

He emphasised that the matter is in his lawyers' hands: "I leave that to my lawyers. I give them no instructions."

No direct request to Bukele

Pressed on whether he had personally asked Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele to release Abrego Garcia, Trump admitted he had not: "I haven’t, uh, he said he wouldn’t."

"I haven’t asked him positively, but he said he wouldn’t," Trump added, suggesting no direct communication had taken place regarding the Supreme Court’s order.

When questioned on how this fulfilled the requirement to "facilitate" Garcia’s release, Trump replied, “I haven't been asked to ask him by my attorneys. Nobody asked me to ask him that question, except you.”

Trump questions Abrego Garcia’s background

Trump also cast doubt on Abrego Garcia’s character, describing him as dangerous: "He was MS-13. He was a wife beater and he had a lot of things that were very bad, you know, very, very bad."

Trump said media coverage had initially misrepresented Abrego Garcia as "a nice, wonderful man from Maryland," but added, "Now, nobody believes that."

He likened the controversy to political issues pushed by Democrats: "I think this is another menwomen’s sports thing for the Democrats."

Respect for the courts

Despite the criticisms, Trump insisted he is committed to following court rulings. Asked about his constitutional oath to uphold the Supreme Court’s authority, Trump said, "I'm not defying the Supreme Court. I never defy the Supreme Court. I wouldn't do that. I'm a big believer in the Supreme Court, and have a lot of respect for the Justices."

When asked about compliance with lower court rulings, Trump answered simply, “Sure. All courts.”