TUESDAY: An angry Homan splits some hairs!

TUESDAY, APRIL 29, 2025

Attention should be paid: Friend, did the administration commit an "administrative error" when it sent Kilmar Abrego Garcia to El Salvador?

That's what the administration originally said. Yesterday, as part of a White House briefing with Karoline Leavitt, Tom Homan seemed to possibly split a hair as he rejected that notion: 

REPORTER (4/28/25): Late last week, there were three U.S citizen children who were removed with their mothers who were in the United States illegally. A federal judge in Louisiana who was appointed by President Trump said that he was concerned that there was "no meaningful process." 

Are you concerned that due process, at least for the U.S. citizen children, is being flouted and that the speed at which the enforcement is being done could lead to errors, as was the case in the Kilmar Abrego Garcia case?...

HOMAN: First of all, I don't accept the term "error "in Abrego-Gracia. There is an "oversight." There was a withholding order, but things have changed. The facts around the withholding order has changed. He's now a terrorist, which means the withholding order's set aside, and the gang he was fearing from being removed to El Salvador no longer exists. So the facts around that case are totally different. 

That was no error—that was an oversight! So Tom Homan said. 

(At this link, the invaluable Rev provides transcript and tape of the entire briefing.)

Later, another hair was vanquished. A reporter asked if Mexico was going to pay for the miles of new border wall which are now being constructed. Eventually, Homan offered this explanation:

REPORTER: Mr. Homan, talking about the border wall, can you give us an update as far as how many miles are being built to date? And is Mexico paying for it as the President said they were going to?

LEAVITT: Well, first of all, I'll answer that question, because I already answered it in my opening remarks. To date, since January 1st, there's been more than 85 miles of new border wall construction in various stages of that construction and planning. The president has made it clear to Congress that we want to see more funding, for not just border wall construction, but also to support our ICE agents and our border patrol agents who are on the ground facilitating with this mass deportation effort.

REPORTER: So [President Trump] is clear that Mexico is not going to pay for it? Is that what you're saying?

HOMAN: Let's address that. Trump said Mexico will pay for the wall. They have been, in a roundabout way, have they not? Putting 10,000 military on the north and southern border, taking the action they did remain in Mexico. They didn't have to do that. They're doing it. Putting military on the southern border. Have moved illegal immigration to a record low. We're saving millions of dollars every day on detention, transportation, removal proceedings. We've more than made up for the cost of that wall because the actions of Mexico. So is Mexico helping build that wall? Yeah, because we're saving so much money, millions of dollars a day that we can afford to build that wall. So actually, yes, they're helping to build the wall.

Mexico has been paying for the miles of new wall. If in a roundabout way!

Another question referred to Leavitt's earlier statement about the way President Trump has declared "a national emergency at the southern border."

Should that declaration stand? In Homan's answer, it all depends on what the meaning of "emergency" is: 

REPORTER: If border crossings are at a record low, why should it still be considered an emergency?

HOMAN: It is because of what has happened on the last administration. We got to ensure that not one ounce of fentanyl comes across the [inaudible] that kill Americans. 

The president has declared the cartels of Mexico a terrorist organization along with MS-13, TDA. They killed more Americans than every terrorist organization in the world combined. It's an emergency until we shut it down, it's an emergency til the cartels are wiped off the face of this earth. 

If a single ounce crosses the border, that qualifies as an emergency! By that standard, almost every event on the face of the earth could trigger some such designation.

In our view, the questions this day weren't always the sharpest. Homan may have been splitting hairs in service to a substantial amount of piddle.

Meanwhile, Leavitt is a genuine piece of work. She too displayed a way with words in this ridiculous non-answer answer to a very basic question:

REPORTER: A question on Abrego Garcia, if I can. The president recently said when it comes to facilitating his release, he's leaving that up to his lawyer. So just to be clear, have there been any negotiations between the US and El Salvador over his release or facilitating his release?

LEAVITT: Look, I will tell you what the president of El Salvador told all of you in the Oval Office. El Salvador does not intend to smuggle a designated foreign terrorist back into the United States. He is an El Salvadorean national, that is his home country. That is where he belongs. And the administration intends to comply with what President Bukele said of El Salvador. He does not intend to send that individual back.

REPORTER: So that's a no? There's been no talks?

LEAVITT: What I have told you is that the president of El Salvador has made this quite clear.

In that exchange, Leavitt showcased her patented dismissive tone, even as she took a semantic dive in service to a disingenuous statement by a Central American strongman.

Obviously, no one is suggesting that the nation of El Salvador should "smuggle" someone into the United States. That said, we're going to do what Bukele says, this young true believer declared.

Leavitt's a constant piece of work. Her first "Q-and-A" this day has to be seen to be believed.

Karoline Leavitt speaks fluent Trump. Homan is very angry, and he's highly insistent.

He also stands at the place where Blue America's conduct in recent years helped send President Trump back to the White House. That same unaddressed conduct by us Blues helps President Trump maintain his current level of support. 

Homan is angry and very insistent. It's also true that his anger seems to have been earned, and as we'll note as the week continues, a lot of the anger he expresses comes directly back on us Blues.

Some of the questions were fairly silly. With respect to Homan's anger, attention [should] be paid.

Should the bell be tolling for what we've done? We'll discuss such questions all week.