Trump to Bukele: «You have released millions, and we want to do the same»

With a handshake in the Oval Office of the White House, Donald Trump and Nayib Bukele sealed an unlikely but powerful alliance, between two leaders determined to eradicate the crime, mutually inspired to free their peoples from fear. The meeting, loaded with praise and ambition, marked a milestone in cooperation between the United States and El Salvador.

«You have released millions, and we want to do the same,» Trump proclaimed upon receiving Bukele, the young president who transformed the Savior of an epicenter of violence into a security bastion. The meeting, full of camaraderie, was, in turn, a war cry against crime and a pact for Transform two nations with a hard hand.

Trump described his Salvadoran counterpart as «an incredible president» and with whom he reinforced a close alliance based on his hard positions against crime and immigration. During an extensive exchange with the press, Trump applauded the controversial offensive against gangs in El Salvador and even suggested exploring the deportation of violent criminals «born in the US» Towards prison in Central America.

The meeting highlighted the strong personal chemistry between both leaders. «It is an honor to have a friend of mine,» Trump said about Bukele. «You are doing incredible things for your country, and we value work with you because you want to end the crime, just like us.»

Bukele corresponded to praise and offered help to the US:

«It is an honor to be in the Oval Office with the president and leader of the free world,» he said. «We know that you have crime and terrorism problems. We convert what was the world capital of homicides in the safest country in the West ». And he added a phrase that Trump celebrated: «Sometimes they say we imprisoned thousands; I prefer to say that we release millions ».

Hard hand, Bukele’s key that sympathizes Trump

Bukele explained that the key to its success has been the strict application of the law: «You cannot free criminals and expect crime to decrease magically. You have to imprison them to free the population ». In this regard, he offered his support to the United States to face crime and terrorism problems, highlighting that his country is willing to collaborate in what he can.

The dominant issue of the meeting was border security. On this, Trump blamed the previous government for allowing the illegal entry of «millions, including prison and asylum criminals,» and presumed an alleged fall of «99.1%» at illegal crosses «From this morning,» criticizing media as CNN for not highlighting these figures.

The debate focused on the specific case of deportation to El Salvador of an alleged member of the MS-13 (Mara Salvatrucha), despite judicial resources that prevented him. Both Trump and Bukele defended the measure, calling the individual of «terrorist.»

Trump went further and proposed to deport even American criminals: «We have monsters born here … I would like to include them in the group of people to expel.» He revealed that he asked Bukele if El Salvador could expand his Tecoluca megacárcel.

«I said: ‘Can you build more, please?’… We would help them financially,» he said shortly before recognizing that the idea faces legal obstacles and that his team (including Pam Bondi, current Attorney General of the United States) is «studying laws.»

This visit reinforces the ties between the United States and El Salvador, with Both leaders committed to strengthening security cooperation and send a forceful message against crime. However, hard hand policies proposed by both are not exempt from criticism, which promises to keep the debate alive in the coming months.

Orange trilogy, an ideological axis?

While Trump and Bukele strengthened their alliance in Washington, another chapter of this cooperation network was written in Buenos Aires. This happened today, when United States Secretary of the Treasury, Scott Besent, landed at Casa Rosada to support the Argentine President, Javier Milei, and his ambitious agenda of economic reforms. The visit, which coincided with the end of the exchange rate in Argentina, marked a key moment to consolidate Argentina as a strategic ally of the Trump administration.

The simultaneity of these events – Trump’s meeting with Bukele and Besent’s visit to Milei – highlights a deeper connection between these leaders, nicknamed by the Bitcoiner community as the «orange trilogy.» Bukele, Milei and Trump share an enthusiasm for the ideas of decentralization and economic freedom that embodies Bitcoin, projecting a vision of sovereignty that resonates with the principles of digital currency. Although it is not yet clear if this affinity will result in a concrete strategy on digital assets, the narrative of an ideological alliance is gaining strength.

Besent’s visit to Argentina, just when Trump received Bukele at the White House, reinforces the perception of a regional axis in formation. Argentina and El Salvador, together with Paraguay, emerge as close allies in the United States in a context of tensions with leftist governments in Brazil, Venezuela and Mexico. This cooperation network not only covers security and economy, but also a commitment to redefine political order in Latin America.

The meeting between Trump and Bukele, together with Besent to Milei, consolidates the ties between the United States, El Salvador and Argentina. Both fronts – the fight against crime and economic liberalization – send a forceful message of hard hand against crime and opening to the market as pillars of a new model.

In short, with Trump, Bukele and Milei aligned, the scenario could be ready to boost bold transformations, but success will depend on balancing ambitious promises with complex realities.