U.S. President Donald Trump publicly thanked El Salvador for its support in the fight against criminal organizations during his speech at the United Nations General Assembly. He commended President Nayib Bukele’s administration for its decision to imprison dangerous gang members in the Center for Confinement of Terrorism (CECOT), a maximum-security prison designed to dismantle organized crime.
I want to thank El Salvador for the strong support of President Bukele’s government in our fight against crime, Trump stated, stressing that the coordinated actions have weakened transnational gangs that operate across borders. He emphasized that El Salvador’s policies are contributing not only to its own internal security but also to broader regional stability and U.S. security interests.
Trump’s recognition at such a high-profile forum underscores the international attention that El Salvador’s security strategy has attracted. The remarks highlighted the alignment between Washington and San Salvador in addressing gang violence, a problem that has long affected both nations.