President Donald Trump is set to meet with El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele at the White House, calling him a “fantastic leader” in a Truth Social post ahead of the high-profile meeting. The two leaders are expected to focus on strengthening cooperation on immigration enforcement, gang removal, and regional security.
Trump hailed Bukele for his aggressive crackdown on violent gangs, including MS-13 and Tren de Aragua, and praised El Salvador’s willingness to accept custody of its nationals previously deported from the U.S.—a sharp contrast to the resistance seen from other countries. “President Bukele is doing what every leader should do—protect his people and work with us to protect ours,” Trump said.
One of the key topics of discussion will be El Salvador’s supermax prison system, which has become a centerpiece of Bukele’s war on organized crime. The facility, which holds thousands of the region’s most dangerous gang members, is being used as a model for how nations can take responsibility for their citizens involved in cross-border criminal activity.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt noted that the Trump administration views El Salvador’s cooperation as a blueprint for future international agreements. “President Bukele has set a powerful example—when countries take ownership of their problems, the results benefit everyone. The United States appreciates and supports leaders who stand up to criminal organizations.”
This meeting comes on the heels of a recent Supreme Court decision that required the U.S. to return a previously deported Salvadoran national. Despite ongoing legal challenges from open-borders activists, the Trump administration remains committed to enforcing immigration law and partnering only with governments that share its commitment to national security.
Bukele, who has earned a global reputation for his no-nonsense approach to governance, arrives in Washington with high marks from both the Trump administration and many Americans concerned about border security and international crime. His administration’s mass arrests of gang members, military-led security campaigns, and rejection of political correctness have earned him admiration among conservatives and critics of globalist immigration policies.
President Trump is expected to use the meeting to underscore the importance of sovereign nations working together to combat transnational crime and uphold immigration laws. He’s also likely to point to El Salvador’s success as further evidence that strong leadership—backed by firm policy—can restore order, safety, and national pride.
As the world watches, the Trump-Bukele meeting sends a clear message: the era of leniency toward criminal aliens is over, and nations that want strong relations with the United States must be willing to do their part.