Trump and Bukele Deal on MS-13 Includes USAID Diversion, Extradition Obstruction and Corrupt Pact Evidence

New investigations reveal that U.S. President Donald Trump praised Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele as a crime fighter while senior Salvadoran officials obstructed a U.S. investigation into the MS-13 gang. In April 2025, Trump and Bukele celebrated a deal to transfer gang members to El Salvador's CECOT prison.

However, evidence from interviews, documents, and U.S. officials indicates that Bukele's government impeded extradition efforts of MS-13 leaders wanted in the U.S. and allegedly diverted USAID funds to the gang in exchange for political support and reduced violence. U.S. agents sought to examine bank accounts of Bukele, senior officials, and their relatives amid suspicions of money laundering. Bukele's administration reportedly used state apparatus to delay or block extraditions and harassed Salvadoran law enforcement officials cooperating with U.S. anti-gang task forces, leading to at least eight fleeing the country with U.S. assistance. Secret meetings allegedly involved offers of political power and financial incentives to MS-13 leaders to lower homicide rates and support Bukele's party. The Salvadoran ambassador to the U.S. confirmed Bukele requested the return of top MS-13 leaders who might expose these secret negotiations. The New York Times reported that Bukele's prison chief offered U.S. officials information and photos about these pacts in 2020 in exchange for asylum. U.S. prosecutors have accumulated evidence of a corrupt pact between Bukele's government and MS-13 leadership. Critics argue that Trump's deal with Bukele undermines U.S. efforts to dismantle MS-13, as charges against gang members have been dropped and some leaders returned to El Salvador to avoid testifying about the corrupt arrangements. This alliance raises questions about the effectiveness of the anti-gang policies promoted by both leaders.