WASHINGTON – On Tuesday, President Donald Trump expressed his desire to transfer American criminals, particularly violent offenders and those he referred to as “animals,” to prisons abroad. He claimed there are “many” countries willing to accept these individuals for a small cost.

During a news briefing and ceremony in the Oval Office, Trump stated, “We’ve had other countries approach us, expressing their willingness to take our criminals  and manage their incarceration.” He emphasized he was referring to the most serious offenders.

“If we had the chance to deport them and let them serve time in another country for a fraction of what it costs us,” Trump added, he would seize the opportunity. “Frankly, they can keep them, because these people will never improve.”

Earlier that day, Secretary of State Marco Rubio characterized an offer from El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele as “very generous” regarding housing violent U.S. convicts in El Salvador’s prisons, which the State Department has indicated are known for being “harsh and dangerous.”

Trump admitted uncertainty about the legality of sending American convicts overseas. However, he asserted that these inmates would still be “subject to our laws” even if their detention is managed by another nation or private entity.

“I’m just saying, if we had the legal opportunity to do this, I would do it immediately,” Trump noted. “I’m not sure if we can. We’re currently exploring that.”

YSL News has reached out to the White House for additional insights.

Trump claims interest from ‘numerous, many’ countries in taking U.S. inmates

Trump indicated that “numerous, many” nations have shown interest in accepting American criminals, though he did not detail any specific countries his administration is considering. He mentioned that it would entail “a very small fee” compared to keeping them in U.S. facilities.

He provided examples of the types of offenders he aims to deport, including habitual violent offenders who have been arrested multiple times, as well as individuals who commit senseless acts of violence, such as attacking vulnerable people or using firearms indiscriminately.

On Monday, El Salvador proposed to accommodate “dangerous criminals” from any nationality whom the United States decides to deport, according to Rubio, following extensive discussions with Bukele.

Rubio, currently on his first international tour as Secretary of State, is also working to gather support from neighboring countries to accept migrants that the Trump administration plans to deport.

Rubio spent nearly three hours with Bukele and other senior officials in a meeting at Bukele’s residence, where they discussed expanding El Salvador’s agreement to include dangerous criminal deportees from the U.S.

“Any  illegal immigrant in the U.S. who is a dangerous criminal – whether affiliated with MS-13, Tren de Aragua, or others – he has offered us his jails to accommodate them,” Rubio said, referencing notorious gangs.

“He is willing to take back any illegal alien in the U.S. who is a criminal from anywhere in the world, whether it involves MS-13 or Tren de Aragua. He also offered to house dangerous U.S. criminals currently in our penal system, including those who are U.S. citizens or lawful residents.”

Rubio is additionally pursuing “third country” agreements, which would allow nations to accept individuals from countries that refuse to repatriate deportees, according to reporting by Reuters.

The State Department indicates that “Overcrowding poses serious risks to the health and lives of prisoners” in Salvadoran facilities. “Many prisons lack adequate sanitation, clean water, ventilation, climate control, and proper lighting.”

Bukele stated on social media platform X that he has presented the U.S. with “an opportunity to outsource part of its prison system.”

“We are prepared to accept only convicted criminals (including U.S. citizens) into our mega-prison (CECOT) in exchange for a fee,” Bukele asserted. “This fee would be relatively modest for the U.S. but substantial for us, helping to make our entire prison system viable.”

Contributing: Reuters