President Donald Trump engaged in a tense exchange with ABC News journalist Terry Moran during an interview marking his first 100 days back in office. He challenged the reporter’s credibility and dismissed questions on various key issues.
The primetime special saw Trump and Moran clash, particularly regarding Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Maryland resident deported to El Salvador despite a protective court order.
Moran pressed Trump on claims that Abrego Garcia was affiliated with the MS-13 gang. Trump referred to an image he previously shared, allegedly depicting gang tattoos on Abrego Garcia’s knuckles.
“Wait a minute, wait a minute. He had MS-13 on his knuckles,” Trump insisted during the interview.
Trump told Moran that ABC was providing him a significant opportunity and mentioned selecting the journalist because he had never heard of him. Trump commented that Moran was not being very nice during their conversation.
While Moran tried to pivot to other topics, Trump repeatedly returned to the photograph, urging the journalist to acknowledge what he deemed clear evidence. When Moran suggested the image could be interpreted differently and may have been altered, and tried to discuss Ukraine, Trump refused to change subjects.
Trump expressed frustration with media coverage, asserting that such reporting contributed to public distrust of the news. He maintained that Abrego Garcia’s gang ties were evident from the photograph, despite no previous sightings of MS-13 markings on the man’s hands in other images.
Law enforcement experts and researchers have disputed Trump’s claims, stating the tattoos do not definitively indicate MS-13 membership. Reports also indicate that Abrego Garcia is detained in a Salvadoran facility for non-gang members.
The exchange continued as Moran questioned Trump about Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who faced criticism for sharing classified information on Houthi rebel strikes via Signal, a non-Pentagon-approved messaging system for sensitive communications.
Trump described Hegseth as talented, young, smart, and highly educated, saying he would be a good and potentially great Defense Secretary. When asked if he had complete confidence in Hegseth, Trump dismissed the question as stupid.
Trump indicated he had spoken with Hegseth about the issue but declined to share details, telling Moran his conversation with the Defense Secretary would remain private.
The interview also covered Trump’s deportation policies and the Abrego Garcia case. Despite his administration arguing in court against the authority to return Abrego Garcia to the U.S., as ordered by the Supreme Court, Trump conceded during the interview that he could facilitate the man’s return.
Moran pointed out that Trump could call the president of El Salvador to request Abrego Garcia’s return. Trump acknowledged this, conditioning his action on whether Abrego Garcia was as described by Moran.
Trump stated that his administration could not reasonably provide hearings or due process to all individuals targeted for deportation, despite Supreme Court rulings mandating such protections.
Trump’s interview with Moran comes amid multiple legal challenges facing his administration over immigration enforcement tactics, particularly concerning deportations of individuals with pending court cases or granted protections by the judicial system.
The exchange underscored growing tensions between the Trump administration and the courts on immigration policy. Federal judges expressed frustration over perceived non-compliance with court orders.
In Abrego Garcia’s case, a federal judge has ordered his return to the U.S., but court documents indicate little progress. The administration has cited protected state secrets as complicating case resolution.
Throughout the conversation, Trump criticized media coverage, specifically targeting ABC, which he described as one of the worst news outlets.
Contrary to Trump’s suggestion that he was unknown, Moran is an award-winning journalist with a lengthy career at ABC News. He has covered major events like the Bush v. Gore Supreme Court decision and interviewed former President Barack Obama. Previously, he served as the network’s London-based chief foreign correspondent before returning to the U.S. for political coverage.
The interview also touched on Trump’s tariff policies. The president defended his 145% tariffs on China, countering Moran’s concerns about potential price increases for American consumers. Trump claimed China would absorb most costs, dismissing economic warnings about impacts on U.S. households.
When questioned about U.S. military support for Ukraine and potential aid cuts if peace negotiations fail, Trump declined a direct answer, stating he preferred to keep his intentions secret to maintain leverage in international negotiations.
