Washington, D.C. — April 14, 2025 — Former President Donald Trump met with El Salvador’s authoritarian leader Nayib Bukele at the White House Monday, using the occasion to launch into a controversial rant against transgender rights and to double down on his administration’s use of El Salvador’s notorious CECOT mega-prison to detain migrants — including at least one wrongfully deported U.S. resident.
Transgender Rights in the Crosshairs
In front of reporters, Trump initiated a pointed exchange with Bukele on transgender women in sports, repeatedly referring to them as “men” and implying their participation constitutes “abuse” of women.
“Do you allow men to box your women? I know you have a lot of boxers,” Trump asked Bukele.
“That’s violence,” Bukele agreed, in a conversation that blurred lines between political posturing and policy signaling.
The rhetoric was widely condemned by LGBTQ+ advocates, who pointed to the growing trend of international anti-trans narratives being used as political wedge issues.
“That’s abuse against women,” Bukele mumbled, following Trump’s lead, with little clarification on El Salvador’s current legal stance.
Trump continued:
“Some of those sports, it wouldn’t matter much, but some of them are very dangerous for women.”
Bukele responded with vague statements accusing women’s rights advocates of now “trying to make new laws allowing men to abuse women in sports,” aligning with Trump’s framing.
U.S. Resident Held in El Salvador Torture Facility
The meeting took a darker turn when reporters asked about Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a U.S. permanent resident who was mistakenly deported and imprisoned at CECOT, El Salvador’s maximum-security Center for Terrorism Confinement. The Trump administration admitted in court filings that his deportation was an “administrative error”, but has refused to comply with a Supreme Court order to repatriate him.
Bukele dismissed a question about the case as “preposterous,” falsely calling Abrego Garcia a “terrorist” — despite U.S. documents stating the opposite.
“The reporters are sick people,” Trump added, brushing aside the contradiction between his administration’s own admission and Bukele’s unfounded claim.
CECOT has been globally condemned for torture, indefinite detention without trial, and inhumane conditions, including for individuals with no verified gang affiliations.
Trump Floats CECOT Expansion for U.S. Citizens
Most shocking to observers was Trump’s suggestion that U.S. citizens could also be deported to CECOT if found guilty of violent crimes.
“If they are criminals and hit people with baseball bats, if they rape 87-year-old women, yeah, yeah,” Trump said. “Home-growns are next.”
He then asked Bukele to build “about five more places” because CECOT “is not big enough” to house all the Americans he believes should be sent there.
Fallout and Legal Concerns
Legal experts are alarmed at Trump’s disregard for court orders and his willingness to bypass due process by outsourcing incarceration to a foreign regime.
“This is not just illegal. It’s unconstitutional and a violation of international human rights norms,” said one immigration lawyer working on the Abrego Garcia case. “It echoes authoritarian playbooks.”
Critics also note Trump’s increasing alignment with Bukele — who has suspended civil liberties and jailed tens of thousands without trial — as a signal of the type of governance Trump may pursue in a second term.
LGBTQ+ Response
LGBTQ+ groups have condemned the remarks as dangerous and dehumanizing. “Trump’s transphobic rhetoric and Bukele’s complicity are deeply troubling,” said a spokesperson for Lambda Legal. “This isn’t policy — it’s propaganda.”
As WorldPride DC approaches, organizers have warned international attendees, especially those with “X” gender markers on passports, to be cautious when traveling in the U.S., citing escalating hostility.
