John Oliver critiques ABC’s Terry Moran for abandoning a line of questioning regarding President Trump’s claim that a deported man had an MS-13 tattoo. Oliver argues that Moran should have pressed Trump to substantiate his false claim, even if it meant delaying other questions. He suggests forcing Trump to repeatedly describe the supposedly real tattoo, highlighting its implausible features to expose the falsehood. This approach, Oliver contends, is crucial when Trump uses demonstrably false information to promote harmful narratives.
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Carlos Cartagena López, a prominent El Salvador gang leader, gave an interview detailing his gang’s secret pact with President Nayib Bukele, revealing how they allegedly helped Bukele rise to power in exchange for favors. This pact, involving warnings of police operations and community projects, allegedly included gang intimidation of political opponents to secure Bukele’s electoral victories. López’s release from prison, despite accusations of homicide and extortion, further underscores the clandestine nature of this relationship. The revelation comes amidst a brutal government crackdown resulting in tens of thousands of arrests under inhumane conditions and hundreds of deaths, highlighting the ongoing consequences of this political alliance. The interview adds crucial details to existing evidence of Bukele’s dealings with gangs, underscoring the urgent need for further investigation into this complex situation.
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During a White House interview, President Trump insisted that a photo depicting “MS-13” tattooed on the knuckles of deported Maryland man Kilmar Abrego Garcia was not photoshopped, despite ABC News correspondent Terry Moran confirming it was. Trump repeatedly claimed the tattoos clearly read “MS-13,” rejecting Moran’s explanation that the image was altered to represent the actual numerical and alphabetical tattoos. This prompted widespread ridicule on social media, with users criticizing the President’s assertion and questioning his grasp of reality. Trump previously shared the altered image on Truth Social, using it to further his political narrative.
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During an ABC News interview, President Trump insisted a photoshopped image depicting “MS-13” on the knuckles of deported individual Kilmar Abrego Garcia was genuine evidence of gang affiliation, despite photographic and expert confirmation to the contrary. Trump’s adamant defense of the manipulated image, even after being informed it was photoshopped, has sparked widespread astonishment and criticism on social media. This incident follows the controversial deportation of Abrego Garcia, a decision later deemed an “error” by the administration, and subsequent legal battles for his return to the United States. The president’s reliance on a fabricated image to support his claims underscores concerns about his decision-making process.
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During an interview, President Trump repeatedly claimed that Kilmar Abrego Garcia, mistakenly deported to El Salvador, had “MS-13” tattooed on his knuckles, despite evidence showing the tattoos were misinterpreted and digitally altered to support this claim. The interviewer, Terry Moran, repeatedly attempted to shift the conversation to other topics, but Trump refused, accusing Moran of being unfair and contributing to distrust in the news media. Experts and Abrego Garcia’s family deny any gang affiliation. Trump’s insistence on the “MS-13” claim, even after Moran pointed out the photo manipulation, dominated the interview.
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Abrego Garcia’s family’s lawsuit prompted urgent discussions within the Departments of State, Justice, and Homeland Security regarding his deportation. Initial plans for his return were considered, but White House backlash led to a reversal, recasting his deportation as justified due to his alleged, yet unproven, MS-13 affiliation. This narrative shift transformed the case into a larger test of the administration’s power to deport individuals without due process. The lack of evidence supporting Trump’s claims became a central point of contention.
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During an interview, the President contradicted his prior commitment to comply with all Supreme Court orders. Despite a unanimous Supreme Court ruling mandating the return of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, the President claimed his legal team interpreted the order differently and he had not personally intervened, citing Garcia’s alleged MS-13 affiliation and violent past. He further stated that he hadn’t directly asked El Salvador’s President for Garcia’s release, attributing his inaction to a lack of instruction from his lawyers. The President ultimately expressed his belief that Garcia is not deserving of a trial.
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Following a scathing rebuke for insufficient responses, a federal judge granted the Department of Justice a one-week extension to answer questions regarding the deportation of Kilmar Abrego Garcia. The judge deemed the administration’s previous responses willful noncompliance and an attempt to obstruct discovery, rejecting claims that Abrego Garcia, deported despite court protections, is an MS-13 gang member. The Justice Department, citing various legal privileges, continues to resist facilitating Abrego Garcia’s return as ordered by the Supreme Court, despite the lack of substantiating evidence. This defiance, mirroring similar cases involving Venezuelan migrants, threatens a major constitutional conflict between the judiciary and executive branches.
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President Trump’s Truth Social post featured a manipulated image of Kilmar Abrego Garcia’s hand, allegedly showing an MS-13 gang tattoo. The image, however, was digitally altered to include labels and characters spelling “MS-13,” a fact noted by social media users who criticized the president for misleading the public. Trump’s actions follow his refusal to comply with court orders to return Abrego Garcia to the United States, despite lacking evidence of gang affiliation. While some defended Trump, arguing the alterations were obvious, others questioned the president’s interpretation of the tattoo itself.
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President Trump controversially shared a digitally altered image of Kilmar Abrego Garcia’s hand, purportedly showing “MS-13” tattooed on his knuckles, to justify Garcia’s deportation. This action followed a Supreme Court order mandating Garcia’s return to the U.S., despite his deportation having been deemed a mistake by Trump administration officials. Critics widely denounced the image as photoshopped, highlighting the apparent manipulation to support Trump’s narrative. The incident underscores the ongoing dispute surrounding Garcia’s deportation and Trump’s defiance of court orders.
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John Q. Hosedrinker