In an April 29 interview at the Oval Office, ABC News journalist Terry Moran and Donald Trump discussed a photograph that Trump posted on Truth Social on April 21.
The photograph is a closeup of Abrego Garcia's fingers which shows a tatoo on each finger, and immediately above each tatoo the letters and numbers "M S 1 3" spelled out.
Garcia is the 29-year-old man from El Salvador who was erroneously deported in March. The U.S. Supreme Court recently ruled that the U.S. government should help "facilitate" his return to his home in Maryland.
During the interview Trump said that Garcia has MS-13 tatooed on his knuckles. Moran interjected saying it's disputed as to whether the actual letters and numbers are in fact tatooed on Garcia's fingers or instead were added using Photoshop as an interpretation of the tatoos.
When Moran tried to explain this to Trump, Trump remained insistent and at one point in the discussion Trump said:
Terry, no, no. No, no. He had MS as clear as you can be. Not "interpreted."
Before allowing Moran to move on to another topic, Trump said:
It's -- it's -- you do such a disservice. Why don't you just say, "Yes, he does," and, you know, go on to something else.
Source:
(April 29, 2025). "FULL TRANSCRIPT: Trump's exclusive 100 days broadcast interview with ABC News". ABC News. Retrieved 2025-05-04
Commentary:
First, click here to see Trump's social media post and the photograph he posted. Now, zoom in so you can get a closer look.
It's clear to me that "M S 1 3" was added with Photoshop. Notice that the color of "M S 1 3" is dark grey or black and the color of the tatoos is much lighter (looks like a faded blue to me). Second, notice how perfect "M S 1 3" is spelled out.
The fact that Trump would insist, and kept on insisting during the interview, that MS-13 is on Garcia's fingers "as clear as you can be" and "not interpreted" shows yet again just how deluded his mind is.
Trump wants to believe that "M S 1 3" is actually tatooed on Garcia's fingers because that would support his case for not wanting to have him returned to the U.S.
Once again, this is Trump rejecting objective reality.
Then Trump goes on to say "you do such a disservice," implying that Moran and ABC News are somehow twisting the truth and trying to mislead the public, when in reality Moran and ABC News were making every effort to report the truth and provide a valuable and necessary service.
This is Trump with another one of his "gaslight specials" where he tries to makes you believe something that is objectively not true.
Words alone cannot describe how dangerous and deluded Trump is. His ego and his quest for power are out of control.
It's up to the sane and rational people of America to continue to resist, band together, and protest to limit the damage he is doing and will continue to do to our democracy and our system of government.