In one of his ugliest videos yet, Donald Trump tried to intimidate an ABC News reporter into agreeing that "M-S-1-3" is tattooed on the fingers of Kilmar Abrego Garcia — the Maryland man erroneously deported to El Salvador.
"On his knuckles, he had "MS-13," Trump insisted in an interview with Terry Moran, who politely disagreed before trying countless times to move on. But in uncomfortable footage, Trump would not move on.
For over a minute, Moran kept trying to pivot to Ukraine, but Trump could not get past the fact that Moran would not kiss the ring. And every time Moran responded with simple straightforward truths like, "He did not have the letters 'M-S-1-3'" (so let's move on) and "That was Photoshopped" (so let's move on), Trump grew more agitated, calling Moran part of the "fake news."
"Hey, you can't do that," Trump snarled, appalled that this man was pushing back. "They're giving you the big break of a lifetime…I picked you because—frankly I never heard of you, but that's OK. I picked you, but you're not being very nice."
But Moran can do that — as in stick to the facts — and he did, disagreeing with Trump's "alternative facts." (While Trump insists that Garcia's tattoos — which photos show to be a marijuana leaf, a smiley face, a cross, and a skull — include an actual M-S-1-3, experts agree that the gang name was Photoshopped into recent photographs of Garcia's hand.)
After a back-and-forth that lasted for nearly a minute-and-a-half, Trump glared at Moran as he tried to force-feed his propaganda. "No, no, he had M-S- as clear as you can be. Not 'interpreted,'" Trump sneered. And then, like a hypnotist trying to manipulate his interviewer's mind, he locked his stony eyes onto Moran and emphatically said, "He's got 'MS-13' on his knuckles. Okay?"
And when Moran still did not agree, Trump was dumbstruck. "You're just such a disservice. Why aren't you just saying, 'Yes he does' and go on to something else?" (See video below, posted by Aaron Rupar.)
Previously: Trump expands offshore detention program, now including Rwanda
