In a fiery Oval Office interview marking the 100-day milestone of his second term, President Donald Trump tore into ABC News anchor Terry Moran while defending his administration’s tough stance on illegal immigration.
The interview, which aired Tuesday, quickly escalated into a heated exchange over a Supreme Court order involving an illegal immigrant, exposing the media’s bias and Trump’s unwavering commitment to border security.
The confrontation centered on Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Salvadoran illegal immigrant and alleged MS-13 gang member deported by Trump’s administration despite a protective order.
Moran pressed Trump on the Supreme Court’s ruling to facilitate Garcia’s return to the U.S., accusing the administration of violating the rule of law. Trump didn’t mince words, slamming Moran’s portrayal of Garcia as misleading.
Transcript via ABC News:
TERRY MORAN: Alright. Well, let me ask about one man and one court order. Kilmar Abrego Garcia. He’s the Salvadoran man who crossed into this country illegally but who is under a protective order that he not be sent back to El Salvador. Your government sent him back to El Salvador and acknowledged in court that was a mistake. And now the Supreme Court has upheld an order that you must return him to the — facilitate his return to the United States. What are you doing to comply?
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: Well, the lawyer that said it was a mistake was here a long time, was not appointed by us — should not have said that, should not have said that. And just so you understand —
TERRY MORAN: Said it in court. Said it in court —
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: — the person that you’re talkin’ about, you know, you’re makin’ this person sound — this is a MS-13 gang member, a tough cookie, been in lots of skirmishes, beat the hell out of his wife, and the wife was petrified to even talk about him, okay? This is not an innocent, wonderful gentleman from Maryland —
TERRY MORAN: I’m not saying he’s a good guy. It’s about the rule of law. The order from the Supreme Court stands, sir —
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: He came into our country illegally.
TERRY MORAN: You could get him back. There’s a phone on this desk.
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: I could.
TERRY MORAN: You could pick it up, and with all —
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: I could.
TERRY MORAN: — the power of the presidency, you could call up the president of El Salvador and say, “Send him back,” right now.
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: And if he were the gentleman that you say he is, I would do that.
TERRY MORAN: But the court has ordered you —
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: But he’s not.
TERRY MORAN: — to facilitate that — his release —
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: I’m not the one making this decision. We have lawyers that don’t want —
TERRY MORAN: You’re the president.
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: — to do this, Terry —
TERRY MORAN: Yeah, but the — but the buck stops in this office —
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: I — no, no, no, no. I follow the law. You want me to follow the law. If I were the president that just wanted to do anything, I’d probably keep him right where he is —
TERRY MORAN: The Supreme Court says what the law is.
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: Listen. I was elected to take care of a problem that was — it was — a, a unforced error that was made by a very incompetent man, a man that turned out to be incompetent that you always said was wonderful, a great genius, right? And now you find out — all of the media, now they’re saying what a mistake they made. A man who was grossly incompetent allowed us to have open borders where millions of people flowed in —
WATCH:
Trump: “This is an MS13 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
The president didn’t let Moran off easy. When the reporter continued pushing, Trump delivered one of the most memorable lines of the interview: “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 stumbled as he tried to salvage control of the conversation, pivoting to Ukraine, but Trump wasn’t finished. “This is why people no longer believe the media,” Trump said. “Because it’s fake news.”
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: When we have criminals, murderers, criminals in this country, we have to get ’em out. And we’re doing it.
TERRY MORAN: By law —
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: And you’ll pick out one man, but even the man that you picked out —
TERRY MORAN: He’s got —
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: — he said he’d — wasn’t a member of a gang. And then they looked, and —
TERRY MORAN: Alright.
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: On his knuckles — he had MS-13 —
TERRY MORAN: Alright. There’s dis — there’s a dispute over that —
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: Well, wait a minute. Wait a minute. He had MS-13 —
TERRY MORAN: Well —
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: — on his knuckles tattooed.
TERRY MORAN: — he — he — he — it didn’t say– oh, he had some tattoos that are inper — interpreted that way. But let’s move on.
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: Wait a minute.
TERRY MORAN: I want —
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: Hey, Terry. Terry. Terry.
TERRY MORAN: He — he did not have the letter —
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: Don’t do that — M-S-1-3 — It says M-S-one-three.
TERRY MORAN: I — that was Photoshop. So let me just–
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: That was Photoshop? Terry, you can’t do that — he had —
— he– hey, they’re givin’ you the big break of a lifetime. You know, you’re doin’ the interview. I picked you because — frankly I never heard of you, but that’s okay —
TERRY MORAN: This — I knew this would come —
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: But I picked you — Terry — but you’re not being very nice. He had MS-13 tattooed —
TERRY MORAN: Alright. 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 the picture?
TERRY MORAN: I saw the picture. We’ll — we’ll — 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– I want to get to Ukraine–
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: Terry, no, no. No, no. He had MS as clear as you can be. Not “interpreted.” This is why people —
TERRY MORAN: Alright.
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: — no longer believe —
TERRY MORAN: Well.
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: — the news, because it’s fake news —
TERRY MORAN: When he was photographed in El Sal — in– in El Salvador, they aren’t there. But let’s just go on —
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: He is —
TERRY MORAN: They aren’t there when he’s in El Salvador.
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: –there — oh, oh, they weren’t there —
TERRY MORAN: Take a 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 — 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, you know, go on to something else —
WATCH:
President Trump: “He had MS13 tattooed on his knuckles.”
ABC: “He had some tattoos that are interpreted that way.”
Trump: “It says MS13.”
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
President Donald Trump made it clear he doesn’t trust the mainstream media—calling out ABC Senior National Correspondent Terry Moran directly.
When Moran asked, “Do you trust him?” referring to Putin, Trump shot back with a blunt retort: “I don’t trust you.”
TERRY MORAN: You think Vladimir Putin wants peace?
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: I think he does, yes. I think he does–
TERRY MORAN: Still?
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: I think because of me —
TERRY MORAN: Even with the raining missiles on —
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: I think he really — his — his — his dream was to take over the whole country. I think because of me, he’s not gonna do that.
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 — I don’t trust a lot of people. I don’t trust you. Look at you. You come in all shootin’ for bear. You’re so happy to do the interview.
TERRY MORAN: I am happy —
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: And then you start hitting me with fake questions. You start tellin’ me that a guy — whose hand is covered with a tattoo —
TERRY MORAN: Alright. We’re back to that.
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: — doesn’t have the tattoo, you know.
TERRY MORAN: Alright.
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: I mean, you’re being dishonest.
TERRY MORAN: No, I’m not —
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: Let — let– let me just tell you —
TERRY MORAN: No, I am not, sir.
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 then warned the interview might not even make it to the end, saying, “I don’t have a 100% confidence that we’re gonna finish 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
The post Trump Destroys ABC Hack Reporter in Explosive Interview — “They’re Giving You the big break of a Lifetime… I Picked You Because Frankly I Never Heard of You” appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.