‘One hell of a president’: Trump praises ‘world’s coolest dictator’ Bukele as El Salvador jails US deportees in mega-prison

US President Donald Trump welcomed El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele to the White House on Monday (14 April), calling him an “incredible” leader and praising his support for the US’s deportation policies.

Bukele, who refers to himself as the “world’s coolest dictator,” has played a key part in helping the Trump administration send deportees back to El Salvador. During their meeting, Bukele urged Trump to “liberate” the 350 million Americans who, he claimed, want to see crime come to an end.

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He also said that fewer people are crossing the US-Mexico border, saying it shows how Trump’s policies are already having an effect.

‘One hell of a president’

Speaking to reporters, Trump said he knew Bukele when he was younger and praised his leadership in El Salvador.

“He’s done incredible things,” Trump said. “The people of El Salvador have one hell of a president.” Bukele responded by saying his government was “very eager to help” the US in fighting crime.

Trump invited his Secretary of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem, to speak about how the administration was dealing with immigration and border control. Noem credited Trump’s leadership and said the goal was to remove “criminals, murderers, rapists” from the country.

She also thanked Bukele for cooperating on deportations, calling it “wonderful to have a place to send the worst people.”

“This is a clear consequence for the worst of the worst, that you have somewhere to put them,” Noem added, about those being sent to El Salvador.

Broader discussions: From Biden to transgender athletes

The conversation between the two leaders also touched on other issues, including crime, immigration, the Biden administration, and transgender women in sports. Trump pointed to the women in the room and said he had always been “advanced” in giving women roles in his administration. Bukele said many of his cabinet members were women but clarified they weren’t chosen through “DEI hires,” referring to diversity and inclusion policies.

Concerns over human rights brushed aside

In recent months, over 200 individuals accused of being Venezuelan gang members, including one mistakenly deported Maryland resident, have been sent to a maximum-security mega-prison in El Salvador under the Alien Enemies Act.

When asked about potential human rights issues at the prison, Trump dismissed the concerns. “I don’t see it,” he said.

“(Bukele’s) taking care of a lot of problems that we have that we really wouldn’t be able to take care of, from a cost standpoint,” he added.