Donald Trump Has Testy Exchange in ABC Interview: 'Not Being Very Nice'

President Donald Trump told ABC News' Terry Moran that he was "not being very nice" during a testy interview to mark his first 100 days in office on Tuesday.

"They're giving you the big break of a lifetime," Trump told Moran during the interview. "I picked you because, frankly, I never heard of you, but that's OK."

When Moran tried to interject, Trump continued: "I picked you Terry, but you're not being very nice."

Newsweek has contacted the White House for comment outside of regular working hours.

The Context

Trump and Moran clashed while discussing Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Maryland man who was wrongly deported to El Salvador in March. Trump administration officials later admitted it was "an administrative error," but have insisted Abrego Garcia was a member of the MS-13 gang. His family denies any ties to gangs and he has no criminal record in the United States.

U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis ordered Abrego Garcia to be brought back to the U.S. earlier this month, and the decision was later affirmed by the Supreme Court. However, the White House has resisted the orders to return him.

Trump and Moran sparred over the president's claim that a photo shows Abrego Garcia with MS-13 tattooed on his knuckles. Trump posted a photo earlier this month of Abrego Garcia's hand with tattoos of a marijuana leaf, a smiley face, a cross, and a skull, which the administration says are symbols for "M", "S", "1", and "3".

Experts have said nothing in the photograph is a known signifier of MS-13, and that members of the gang frequently use actual letters rather than symbols.

What To Know

During Tuesday's interview, Moran told Trump that there was a "dispute" over whether Abrego Garcia had MS-13 tattooed on his knuckles.

Trump replied: "Well, wait a minute. Wait a minute. He had MS-13 on his knuckles tattooed."

When Moran tried to move the interview on, Trump interjected: "Hey, Terry. Terry, Terry. Don't do that... It says M-S-1-3." Moran then responded: "That was Photoshopped."

Trump replied: "That was Photoshopped? Terry, you can't do that... hey, 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 later acknowledged that Abrego Garcia had tattoos "that can be interpreted that way," but Trump responded: "Terry, no, no. No, no. He had MS as clear as you can be. Not interpreted."

Moran added: 'When he was photographed in El Salvador, they aren't there. But let's just go on."

What People Are Saying

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt wrote on X, formerly Twitter: "Thank God we have a President again who isn't afraid of sitting down for interviews with openly hostile networks like ABC and taking them to task."

Trump posted the image of Abrego Garcia's hand on his Truth Social on April 21, writing: "This is the man, Kilmar Abrego Garcia, that the courts are trying to save from being deported? He was supposed to be, according to the Judge and the Democrats, a wonderful father from Maryland, but then they noticed he had 'MS-13' tattooed onto his knuckles (and lots of really bad stories about his past!). This is the gang that is, perhaps, the worst of them all. What is wrong with our Country?"

What Happens Next

Abrego Garcia remains in El Salvador and it is unclear whether he will be returned to the U.S.