President Donald Trump is calling Sen. Chris Van Hollen a "fool" on Friday after the legislator flew to El Salvador to meet with deported illegal immigrant Kilmar Abrego Garcia.
"Senator Chris Van Hollen of Maryland looked like a fool yesterday standing in El Salvador begging for attention from the Fake News Media, or anyone. GRANDSTANDER!!!" Trump wrote on his Truth Social account.
Garcia, a 29-year-old illegal immigrant living in Maryland, was deported to the El Salvadoran megaprison "Terrorism Confinement Center" (CECOT) last month, and officials acknowledged in court that his deportation had been an administrative error, although now some top Trump officials say he had been correctly removed and contend that he is a member of the notorious MS-13 gang.
"I said my main goal of this trip was to meet with Kilmar," Van Hollen, a Democrat, said in a post on X on Thursday. "Tonight I had that chance. I have called his wife, Jennifer, to pass along his message of love. I look forward to providing a full update upon my return."
DEMOCRAT SENATOR VAN HOLLEN MEETS, SHAKES HANDS WITH ABREGO GARCIA
Van Hollen said earlier Thursday that "Kilmar Abrego Garcia had been illegally abducted and is being held in a notorious prison in El Salvador -- barred from contacting his family or lawyers." Van Hollen also spoke to the press in El Salvador, in a video posted on YouTube.
Abrego Garcia's wife Jennifer Vasquez said in a statement that "we still have so many questions, hopes, and fears," according to the Associated Press.
Both a federal district court and the U.S. Supreme Court have ordered the Trump administration to "facilitate" Garcia's release and return to the U.S. for proper deportation proceedings.
MORE DEMOCRATS WORK TO JOIN VAN HOLLEN IN EL SALVADOR TO PUSH FOR ALLEGED GANG MEMBER'S RETURN TO US
The Trump administration also released information on Wednesday indicating that Abrego Garcia's wife has accused him of repeated abuse of her.
Fox News obtained the written domestic violence allegations filed in court against Abrego Garcia by Vasquez in 2021.
In the filing, written in her own handwriting, Vasquez alleged that Abrego Garcia had repeatedly beaten her, writing: "At this point, I am afraid to be close to him. I have multiple photos/videos of how violent he can be and all the bruises he [has] left me."
Fox News Digital's Greg Wehner, Jasmine Baehr and Bill Mears contributed to this report.
