Trump to Bukele: 'Do You Allow Men to Box Your Women?' Bukele: 'That's Violence.' Then: 'How Can I Smuggle a Terrorist Into the United States?' (April 14, 2025)

President Donald Trump hosted El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele in the Oval Office and asked him about common sense. “And, like, do you allow men to play in women’s sports? Do you allow men to box your women and—because I know you have a lot of boxing in your country,” Trump said on April 14, 2025, according to the transcript published by the American Presidency Project [1].

“That’s violence,” Bukele answered. “That’s abuse of a woman,” Trump said. “Violence against women, yes,” Bukele said [1].

“But we have people that fight to the death because they think men should be able to play in women’s sports,” Trump said [1].

The video above shows the Oval Office meeting on April 14, 2025. Quotes are from the American Presidency Project and FOX 17 News in Nashville [1][2].

”We Actually Liberated Millions”

Bukele described what his crackdown did. “And we actually turned the murder capital of the world—that was the journalists call it——” he began, and after Trump cut in, finished: “——murder capital of the world into the safest country in the Western Hemisphere.” He went on: “And you know, if they—sometimes they say that we imprison thousands. I like to say that we actually liberated millions,” Bukele said [1].

“Who gave him that line? Do you think I can use that?” Trump asked, as the room laughed. “Yes, you can use that,” Bukele said [1].

“But to liberate 350 million people, you have to imprison some. You know, that’s the way it works, right? You cannot just, you know, free the criminals and think crime is going to go down magically,” Bukele said [1].

“11,088 Known Murderers”

Trump blamed the Biden border. “We had an administration that allowed people to come in freely into our country from not only South America, but from all over the world,” he said. “We had 11,088 known murderers. Half of them murdered more than one person.” [1]

“It’s not liberal or conservative. It’s common sense,” Trump said [1].

”A Record That Hadn’t Been Broken in 18 Years”

Trump went on about weightlifting. “A woman gets up, lifts weights. She’s incredible. A guy gets up and beats her by 100 pounds. What are you going to do? A record that hadn’t been broken in 18 years,” he said [1].

”How Can I Smuggle a Terrorist Into the United States?”

A reporter Trump called a “very low-rated anchor” from CNN asked about a Salvadoran man the U.S. had sent to an El Salvador prison in March [1][2]. “Do you plan to ask——” the reporter began, as Trump talked over the question. “——President Bukele to help return the man who your administration says was mistakenly deported?” [1]

Trump handed the question to Attorney General Pam Bondi. “First and foremost, he was illegally in our country. He had been illegally in our country. And in 2019, two courts—an immigration court and an appellate immigration court—ruled that he was a member of MS-13 and he was illegally in our country,” Bondi said. “That’s up to El Salvador if they want to return him. That’s not up to us.” [1]

“No version of this legally ends up with him ever living here, because he is a citizen of El Salvador,” Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller said [1].

Then Bukele answered. “Well, I’m—suppose you’re not suggesting that I smuggle a terrorist into the United States, right?” he said. “It’s only CNN,” Trump said [1].

“Of course, I’m not going to do it. It’s like—I mean, the—it’s the question is preposterous. How can I smuggle a terrorist into the United States? I don’t have the power to return him to the United States,” Bukele said [1].

“We just turned the murder capital of the world into the safest country of the Western Hemisphere, and you want us to go back into the murder—releasing criminals so we can go back to being the murder capital of the world?” he said [1].

”You Sort of Looked Like a Teenager”

Trump also teased his guest. “I’ve known him since he was a very young man, as I said—very, very young. And I was impressed. I said, ‘Look how—this guy is’—in fact, you sort of looked like a teenager,” he said [1].

“That’s—I don’t know if that’s good or bad, Mr. President. But thank you,” Bukele said. “He grew up—he grew up well in the last 5 years,” Trump said [1].

By the Numbers

350 million: Americans to “liberate,” per Bukele [1].
11,088: known murderers let in, per Trump [1].
100+: smuggling trips, per Bondi in June [2].
29: Abrego Garcia’s age, per FOX 17 [2].

What Happened Next

He came back to face charges. In June 2025, the man, Kilmar Abrego Garcia, was returned from El Salvador to face federal charges in Tennessee. “U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi announced the indictment Friday, the same day Abrego Garcia was flown in from El Salvador,” FOX 17 News reported [2].

“He is under federal indictment, accused of smuggling thousands of undocumented migrants into the U.S., and other serious charges,” the station reported. “He made over 100 trips… smuggling people throughout our country,” Bondi said [2].

For Karoline Leavitt on Trump’s use of the Alien Enemies Act to send Tren de Aragua members to El Salvador, see HYGO News’ page on March 17, 2025. For Leavitt on women’s sports and the executive order keeping men out of them, see the page on Feb. 5, 2025.