section_path: Trump administration media strategy/Tattoos
section_name: Tattoos
paragraph_text: Tattoos
  
  On April 18, Donald Trump posted a photo on Truth Social of Abrego Garcia's hand, featuring four tattoos allegedly meant to symbolize MS-13: a marijuana leaf, a smiley face, a cross, and a skull. The picture was digitally altered to add the labels "M" "S" "1" "3" above the symbols and one-word descriptions below. Trump's Truth Social post said in part "They said he is not a member of MS-13, even though he's got MS-13 tattooed onto his knuckles..." In an ABC News interview with Terry Moran that aired on April 29, Trump insisted that the characters "M" "S" "1" "3" themselves were tattooed on Abrego Garcia's knuckles, stating "He had 'M,' 'S' as clear as you can be" and " got 'MS-13' on his knuckles" while Moran corrected him that those characters were photoshopped.
  
  Homeland security secretary Kristi Noem stated she did not have any knowledge of the photo when asked whether the photo was "doctored or not doctored" in a congressional hearing.
  
  As reported by The New York Post, an ICE source stated that although the use of "a '13' tattoo would have been mandatory for Abrego Garcia if he became part of the notorious gang," the specific symbols shown in photographs of Abrego Garcia's knuckles did not specifically resemble MS-13 affiliation to their knowledge. The ICE source theorized that online speculation regarding the tattoos being meant to resemble the characters "MS-13" could be "legit" but that "the best answer would be from informants and/or members within CECOT. Once he is in there, he cannot deny affiliation."
  
  A White House spokesperson told PolitiFact that any law enforcement or immigration official with on-the-ground experience could link the tattooed symbols to MS-13. PolitiFact concluded that "Experts in MS-13 and other gangs say the pictorial tattoos shown are not typical designs for MS-13 or other gangs."
  
  On April 18, Donald Trump posted a photo on Truth Social of Abrego Garcia's hand, featuring four tattoos allegedly meant to symbolize MS-13: a marijuana leaf, a smiley face, a cross, and a skull. The picture was digitally altered to add the labels "M" "S" "1" "3" above the symbols and one-word descriptions below. Trump's Truth Social post said in part "They said he is not a member of MS-13, even though he's got MS-13 tattooed onto his knuckles..." In an ABC News interview with Terry Moran that aired on April 29, Trump insisted that the characters "M" "S" "1" "3" themselves were tattooed on Abrego Garcia's knuckles, stating "He had 'M,' 'S' as clear as you can be" and " got 'MS-13' on his knuckles" while Moran corrected him that those characters were photoshopped.
  
  Homeland security secretary Kristi Noem stated she did not have any knowledge of the photo when asked whether the photo was "doctored or not doctored" in a congressional hearing.
  
  As reported by The New York Post, an ICE source stated that although the use of "a '13' tattoo would have been mandatory for Abrego Garcia if he became part of the notorious gang," the specific symbols shown in photographs of Abrego Garcia's knuckles did not specifically resemble MS-13 affiliation to their knowledge. The ICE source theorized that online speculation regarding the tattoos being meant to resemble the characters "MS-13" could be "legit" but that "the best answer would be from informants and/or members within CECOT. Once he is in there, he cannot deny affiliation."
  
  A White House spokesperson told PolitiFact that any law enforcement or immigration official with on-the-ground experience could link the tattooed symbols to MS-13. PolitiFact concluded that "Experts in MS-13 and other gangs say the pictorial tattoos shown are not typical designs for MS-13 or other gangs."