Trump says he isn't defying the Supreme Court over Ábrego García case
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President Trump takes a question from a reporter before boarding Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House on April 29. Photo: Andrew Harnik/Getty Images
President Trump maintained that his administration isn't defying an order from the Supreme Court to "facilitate" the return of a man erroneously deported to El Salvador during an interview airing Sunday on NBC's "Meet the Press with Kristen Welker."
Why it matters: The administration's push to fast-track deportations with little due process has raised constitutional and humanitarian concerns, but officials have continued to charge ahead despite legal barriers from federal judges.
- The case of Salvadoran national Kilmar Armando Ábrego García has become the case study of the government's willingness to resist court orders.
Driving the news: When asked by Welker if his administration was defying the Supreme Court's order to "facilitate" the man's return, Trump said, "No. I'm relying on the attorney general of the United States, Pam Bondi."
- He added, "I'm not involved in the legality or the illegality."
- "I have the power to ask for him to come back if I'm instructed by the attorney general that it's legal to do so," Trump said. "But the decision as to whether or not he should come back will be the head of El Salvador."
- In another recent interview with ABC News' Terry Moran, Trump similarly said administration lawyers were the ones calling the shots, though he added he "could" get Ábrego García back.
- Asked about his previous comment to NBC, Trump told Welker, "I have the power to ask for him to come back if I'm instructed by the attorney general that it's legal to do so," but added that the decision lies with "the head of El Salvador."
Catch up quick: Secretary of State Marco Rubio said late last month that "of course" all citizens and noncitizens in the U.S. are entitled to due process.
- Asked whether he agrees with Rubio, Trump replied, "I don't know," saying, "I'm not a lawyer."
- Welker pointed to the Fifth Amendment, which says no person should be "deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law."
- Trump answered, "it might say that, but if you're talking about that, then we'd have to have a million or 2 million or 3 million trials."
- Trump then claimed he was "elected to get them the hell out of here, and the courts are holding me from doing it."
Welker pressed Trump, asking whether — even with those numbers — he needed to uphold the Constitution as president.
- He replied, "I don't know."
- Trump said he has "brilliant lawyers" who are "going to obviously follow what the Supreme Court said."
Friction point: The administration claims they are in compliance with the Supreme Court's order, saying that they would simply have to help if El Salvador asks to send Ábrego García back.
- But Democratic lawmakers and legal experts have pushed back on that argument, and a lower level judge in the case has threatened the administration with contempt of court for resisting her orders.
- Trump said in Sunday's interview that his administration "may" ask the high court for clarification on the word "facilitate."
Go deeper: Timeline: The case of a Maryland man mistakenly deported to El Salvador
