During a televised interview to mark his first 100 days back in office, former President Donald Trump engaged in a notably contentious exchange with ABC journalist Terry Moran. The interview, which aired on Tuesday evening on ABC News, featured a heated debate primarily centred on the case of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a deported El Salvador native and Maryland father, and allegations regarding his supposed ties to the MS-13 gang.

Trump repeatedly insisted that Abrego Garcia bore "MS-13" tattoos on his knuckles, presenting an image he claimed supported this assertion. However, the authenticity of this image has been widely challenged, with critics and Moran himself stating the photo appeared to have been digitally altered. Moran pointed out to Trump that the connection between Abrego Garcia and MS-13 was "disputed," to which Trump retorted firmly, "Wait a minute, wait a minute. He had MS-13 on his knuckles." Moran sought to move the conversation forward several times but was met with continued insistence from Trump to discuss the image.

At one point in the interview, Trump said to Moran, “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 OK." He added, “But you’re not being very nice,” in response to Moran’s sceptical tone regarding the evidence presented. Trump displayed the image during the interview, describing the "MS" letters on the knuckles as clear and unequivocal evidence, dismissing Moran’s claim that the photo was "Photoshopped."

When Moran attempted to steer the discussion towards the situation in Ukraine, Trump resisted, stating, “He had MS, as clear as you can be, not interpreted… This is why people no longer believe the news.” Trump also characterised Moran’s questioning as a “disservice” and suggested that the journalist should acknowledge the tattoo evidence and move on.

The letters “MS” have not been previously verified on photographs of Abrego Garcia’s hands outside the disputed image presented by Trump. The interview concluded with Trump criticising media organisations, singling out ABC as “one of the worst.”

The Independent is reporting these developments from the interview, which highlights ongoing disputes over immigration enforcement narratives and media coverage within the political arena.

Source: Noah Wire Services