In a particularly fiery Oval Office interview, marking the first 100 days of his second term, President Donald Trump unleashed a vigorous critique of ABC News anchor Terry Moran while staunchly defending his administration’s stringent policies on illegal immigration.
This interview, broadcasted on Tuesday, rapidly escalated into a contentious debate revolving around a Supreme Court decision concerning an illegal immigrant, thereby exposing what Trump claims is media bias and underlining his steadfast dedication to border security.
The heated discussion focused on Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Salvadoran illegal immigrant allegedly affiliated with the MS-13 gang, who was deported by Trump’s administration despite an existing protective order.
Moran challenged Trump regarding the Supreme Court’s ruling that mandated Garcia’s return to the U.S., accusing the administration of breaching legal protocols. Trump, however, did not hold back, characterizing Moran’s depiction of Garcia as decidedly misleading.
Transcript via ABC News:
TERRY MORAN: Let’s discuss Kilmar Abrego Garcia, the Salvadoran who entered the U.S. illegally but has a protective order against his deportation. Your administration sent him back and later admitted in court that it was a mistake. Now, the Supreme Court has ordered you to facilitate his return. How do you plan to comply?
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: The attorney who said it was a mistake was here long before us and shouldn’t have made that statement. Just for clarity—
TERRY MORAN: But he made that statement in court—
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: —the individual you’re discussing is an MS-13 gang member, a tough guy, who has a history of violence, including domestic abuse. His wife was terrified to speak out about him, okay? This is not some innocent gentleman.
TERRY MORAN: I’m not saying he’s a good person. We’re discussing the rule of law. The Supreme Court’s order is clear, sir—
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: He entered our country illegally.
TERRY MORAN: You could facilitate his return. There’s a phone right on your desk.
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: I could.
TERRY MORAN: You could simply pick it up and—
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: I could.
TERRY MORAN: —with the power of your presidency, you could call the President of El Salvador and instruct him to send him back immediately, correct?
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: If he were the gentleman you claim he is, I would do that.
TERRY MORAN: But the court has ordered you to—
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: But he’s not.
TERRY MORAN: —to facilitate his return—
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: I’m not the one making this decision. Our legal team is reluctant—
TERRY MORAN: You’re the president.
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: —to do this, Terry—
TERRY MORAN: But the responsibility lies with you—
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: I—no, no, no. I adhere to the law. You want me to follow the law. If I were a president willing to act outside the law, I would probably keep him right where he is—
TERRY MORAN: The Supreme Court determines what the law is.
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: Remember, I was elected to tackle a problem that was created by a very incompetent person, someone you previously praised. Now, the media acknowledges the mistakes made. A man who was grossly incompetent allowed open borders, resulting in millions pouring in—
WATCH:
Trump: “This is an MS-13 gang member. This is not an innocent wonderful gentleman from Maryland.”
ABC: “It’s about the Rule of Law. You could call El Salvador and say send him back.”
Trump: “If he were the gentleman you say he is, I would do that. But he’s not.” pic.twitter.com/x9FFlWHzsS
— TheBlaze (@theblaze) April 30, 2025
Trump did not make it easy for Moran. When the reporter persisted, Trump quipped one of the most memorable lines of the exchange: “They’re giving you the big break of a lifetime. You know, you’re doing the interview. I picked you because, frankly, I never heard of you — but that’s okay.”
Moran attempted to regain control, shifting the topic to Ukraine, but Trump was not finished. “This is why people no longer believe the media,” he remarked, declaring, “because it’s fake news.”
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: When we have criminals, murderers in this country, we must remove them. And we are doing just that.
TERRY MORAN: By law—
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: And you choose to focus on one individual, but even the person you cited—
TERRY MORAN: He’s got—
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: —he claimed he wasn’t part of a gang. Then they found evidence—
TERRY MORAN: Alright.
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: He had MS-13 tattooed on his knuckles—
TERRY MORAN: There’s a dispute over that—
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: Well, hold on. He had MS-13—
TERRY MORAN: Well—
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: —tattooed on his knuckles.
TERRY MORAN: —it didn’t say that—he had some tattoos that can be interpreted that way. But let’s move on.
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: Wait a second.
TERRY MORAN: I want—
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: Hey, Terry. Terry. Terry.
TERRY MORAN: He—he—he did not have the letters—
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: Don’t go there—M-S-1-3—It’s clear as day.
TERRY MORAN: I— that was Photoshop. So let me just—
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: Photoshop? Terry, that’s not credible—he had—
—he—hey, they’re giving you the big break of a lifetime. You know, you’re doing the interview. I picked you because—I never heard of you, but that’s okay—
TERRY MORAN: I knew this would come—
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: But I chose you—Terry—but you’re not being very fair. He had MS-13 tattooed—
TERRY MORAN: Okay. Alright. We’ll agree to disagree. I want to move on—
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: Terry.
TERRY MORAN: —to something else.
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: Terry. Do you want me to show you the picture?
TERRY MORAN: I saw the picture. We’ll agree to disagree—
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: Oh, and you think it was Photoshop. Well—
TERRY MORAN: Here we go. Here we go.
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: —don’t Photoshop it. Go look—
TERRY MORAN: Alright.
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: —at his hand. He had MS-13—
TERRY MORAN: Fair enough, he did have tattoos that can be interpreted that way. I’m not an expert on them. I want to turn to Ukraine, sir—
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: No, no. Terry—
TERRY MORAN: I want to get to Ukraine—
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: Terry, no, no. No, no. He had MS as clearly as can be. Not “interpreted.” This is why people—
TERRY MORAN: Alright.
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: —no longer trust—
TERRY MORAN: Well.
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: —the news, because it’s fake news—
TERRY MORAN: When he was photographed in El Salvador, they weren’t there. But let’s just move on—
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: He is—
TERRY MORAN: They weren’t there when he was in El Salvador.
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: —there—oh, oh, they weren’t there—
TERRY MORAN: Look at the photograph—
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: But they’re there now, right?
TERRY MORAN: No. What—
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: But they’re there now?
TERRY MORAN: They’re in your picture.
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: Terry.
TERRY MORAN: Ukraine, sir.
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: He’s got MS-13 on his knuckles.
TERRY MORAN: Alright. I—
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: Okay?
TERRY MORAN: —we’ll— we’ll take a look at it—
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: It’s—you do such a disservice—
TERRY MORAN: We’ll take a look. We’ll take a look at that, sir—
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: Why don’t you just say, “Yes, he does,” and we can move on—
WATCH:
President Trump: “He had MS-13 tattooed on his knuckles.”
ABC: “He had some tattoos that are interpreted that way.”
Trump: “It says MS-13.”
ABC: “That was photoshopped.”
Trump: “Do you want me to show you the picture?”
ABC: “I’m not an expert.”
UNREAL! pic.twitter.com/9WsNzziOCT
— TheBlaze (@theblaze) April 30, 2025
In this exchange, Trump explicitly expressed his distrust of mainstream media, directly confronting ABC Senior National Correspondent Terry Moran.
When Moran inquired, “Do you trust him?” in reference to Putin, Trump retorted with a straightforward dismissal: “I don’t trust you.”
TERRY MORAN: Do you believe Vladimir Putin seeks peace?
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: I do believe he does, yes. I believe he does—
TERRY MORAN: Still?
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: I think because of my actions—
TERRY MORAN: Even amidst the missile strikes—
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: His ambition was to dominate the entire region, but I believe he’s reconsidering that due to my leadership.
TERRY MORAN: Do you trust him?
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: I think—
TERRY MORAN: Do you trust him?
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: I don’t trust you. I don’t trust many people. I certainly don’t trust you. Look at you. You enter here fully prepared to challenge me. You’re eager to conduct this interview.
TERRY MORAN: I am pleased—
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: And then you bombard me with misleading inquiries. You assert that a man—with a tattoo on his hand—
TERRY MORAN: Alright. We’re back to that.
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: —doesn’t even have the tattoo, you know.
TERRY MORAN: Alright.
WATCH:
ABC: “You think Vladimir Putin wants peace?”
Trump: “I think he does, yes.”
ABC: “Do you trust him?”
Trump: “I don’t trust you.” pic.twitter.com/sLYtZkizSd
— TheBlaze (@theblaze) April 30, 2025
Trump concluded the interview by suggesting that it might not even reach the finish line, stating, “I don’t have 100% confidence that we’re going to complete this interview.”
WATCH:
NEW: President Trump goes off on ABC News’ Terry Moran after he asks him about his confidence level in Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
Trump: He’s a very good defense secretary.
Moran: Do you have a 100% confidence in him?
Trump: Do I have a 100% confidence in anything? It’s a… pic.twitter.com/v4XmlwkSD2
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) April 30, 2025
