Trump Leans on Oval Office Set Piece to Reinforce His Message
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Tension in Washington as Trump Administration Defies Court Order on Deportation Case
On Monday in Washington, tension filled the air.
Just days earlier, the Supreme Court had ordered the Trump administration to “facilitate” the return of Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia, a Maryland resident wrongfully deported to a high-security prison in El Salvador. For Abrego Garcia—whose wife continues to plead for his return—the stakes could not be higher. The same was true for the broader question: would the White House comply with the court’s directive?
The answer arrived in dramatic fashion, straight from the Oval Office, where President Trump appeared flanked by top officials and El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele—a leader who once dubbed himself the world’s “coolest dictator.”
Secretary of State Marco Rubio was wedged between Vice President JD Vance and Attorney General Pam Bondi. Behind them stood Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, and policy advisor Stephen Miller. At the center, in a gold armchair, sat Trump.
With cameras rolling and reporters crowding in, each figure played their role. Accuracy was not always a priority.
“That’s up to El Salvador if they want to return him,” said Bondi. “That’s not up to us.”
Rubio dismissed the court’s order outright. “No court in the United States has a right to conduct the foreign policy of the United States,” he said. “It’s that simple.”
Miller accused the media—CNN specifically—of favoring “foreign terrorists who kidnap women and children.”
Bukele, for his part, flatly refused to send Abrego Garcia back. “Of course I’m not going to do it,” he said. Returning him, he claimed, would be akin to sending “a terrorist into the United States.” (Abrego Garcia has not been charged with terrorism or gang involvement, and a federal judge has found no credible evidence linking him to MS-13.)
While past administrations might have issued policy statements or legal briefs, Trump once again turned the Oval Office into a stage. The carefully choreographed tableau allowed him to shape the narrative on his terms—bolstered by loyalists and spectacle.
It has become a regular feature of his presidency: transforming the West Wing into a theater where executive power is not just exercised, but performed. In February, he and Vice President Vance used the same space to publicly rebuke Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
This week’s co-star, tieless and dressed in dark tones, was Bukele. The Salvadoran president leaned into the role, echoing Trumpian language. “I liberated millions,” he said of his leadership back home. “Very good,” Trump nodded, amused. “Who gave him that line? Can I use it?”
The two bantered easily. “What you’re doing with the border is remarkable,” Bukele said, before criticizing the press for underreporting Trump’s success. Trump seized the opportunity. “Isn’t that a great question?” he said. (In El Salvador, independent journalism faces increasing pressure.)
At 43, Bukele is close in age to Trump’s adult sons and younger than his vice president. Trump took note. “You look like a teenager!” he said, to which Bukele replied with a grin, “I don’t know if that’s good or bad, Mr. President.”
When Trump brought up transgender athletes, Bukele chimed in with references to “D.E.I. hires,” hitting conservative talking points with ease.
The chemistry between the two leaders was clear. So much so that Trump extended an invitation: “We have the great championship team from Ohio coming in today,” he said. “If you want to stick around?”
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