President Trump said in an ABC News interview he has the power to bring back a Maryland father the U.S. government admitted to expelling to an El Salvador prison “in error,” but that he will not do so, despite court orders mandating the return of Kilmar Abrego Garcia. Trump was interviewed by Terry Moran.

President Donald Trump: “This is not an innocent, wonderful gentleman from Maryland.”

Terry Moran: “I’m not saying he’s a good guy. It’s about the rule of law. The order from the Supreme Court stands, sir.”

President Donald Trump: “He came into our country illegally.”

Terry Moran: “You could get him back. There’s a phone on this desk.”

President Donald Trump: “I could.”

Terry Moran: “You could pick it up, and with all” —

President Donald Trump: “I could.”

Terry Moran: — “the power of the presidency, you could call up the president of El Salvador and say, 'Send him back,' right now.”

President Donald Trump: “And if he were the gentleman that you say he is, I would do that.”

The comments contradict previous White House statements that the U.S. has no power to return Abrego Garcia. During the interview, Trump grew increasingly agitated and repeatedly interrupted Terry Moran to falsely claim that Abrego Garcia had tattoos on his knuckles reading “M–S–1–3,” a reference to the MS-13 gang. In fact, those characters were photoshopped into a picture of tattooed symbols on Abrego Garcia’s left hand shared by the White House on social media.