White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stated yesterday that the partnership between El Salvador, led by President Nayib Bukele, and the United States under President Donald Trump has become “a model for others to follow.” She also confirmed that both leaders will meet at the White House on April 14 for an official working visit.

“President Trump will welcome President Bukele to discuss El Salvador’s cooperation in housing gang members from the Tren de Aragua and MS-13 in its maximum-security prison,” Leavitt announced.

The two governments have intensified collaboration on public security. On March 27, El Salvador’s Minister of Justice, Gustavo Villatoro, and U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem, signed a memorandum to update the Fugitive Control Security Alliance. The agreement ensures that fugitive records will be shared, preventing dangerous individuals from being released in the U.S.

That same day, Noem visited the Terrorism Confinement Center (CECOT) and warned that “the Trump administration will not tolerate criminal immigrants in the U.S.”

In recent weeks, the U.S. deported hundreds of gang members to El Salvador as part of this cooperation. On March 16, 238 members of the Tren de Aragua and 23 from MS-13 were transferred to CECOT, followed by 17 more on March 31.

President Bukele’s tough security strategy, including the Territorial Control Plan and a state of exception, has drawn international attention. This week, The Economist reported that many Peruvians admire Bukele’s leadership, with murals in Lima reading “The Peruvian Bukele.” The publication noted that in Peru’s upcoming 2026 elections, “the candidate most like Mr. Bukele may very well win.”

With the April 14 meeting approaching, the El Salvador–U.S. alliance is being closely watched as a new model for confronting transnational crime.