During a Senate confirmation hearing for President Trump’s nominee to lead the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., sharply questioned the nominee about MS-13 gang affiliations, using the exchange to mock Democratic lawmakers and their past interactions with a controversial individual allegedly tied to the gang.
Terrance Cole, the nominee, was asked to interpret the tattoos of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a man who was deported and described in police records as a violent repeat offender with a history of domestic abuse. Graham presented a photo of Garcia’s tattoos and pressed Cole to explain their significance.
“Are you familiar with MS-13? Briefly, what are they?” Graham asked.
“They’re a terrorist organization,” Cole responded, describing the group as being involved in “extortion, kidnapping, drugs, intimidation, [and] money laundering.”
Graham then questioned how MS-13 members identify themselves. “Do they have membership cards?” he asked sarcastically, referencing disputes over the meaning of Garcia’s knuckle tattoos.
“They’re well recognized based on tattoos and different [signifiers],” Cole explained.
Using a photograph of Garcia’s hands, Graham asked Cole to decode the symbols in the style of a Rebus puzzle — a visual wordplay game. Cole noted that the first knuckle bore a marijuana leaf, corresponding to the letter “M.” The second bore a smiley face, which Cole said stood for “S.” These were followed by the number “1” and a character resembling a backwards “3.”
“So, based on your field experience with the DEA, particularly in Mexico, these tattoos are consistent with MS-13 affiliation?” Graham asked.
“Yes sir, that’s correct,” Cole confirmed.
Graham continued, asking whether any other organizations might use the same symbols. Cole said there were none he was aware of.
The hearing came as Democrats faced scrutiny over recent visits to El Salvador, where several lawmakers reportedly met with Garcia. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., was asked by The Bulwark about the meetings. Democratic aides later told the outlet that Jeffries had advised against further visits.
The controversy surrounding Garcia’s tattoos also surfaced during a recent interview between ABC News’ Terry Moran and President Trump. When Moran referenced ambiguity in interpreting the tattoos, Trump interjected, “Wait a minute, he had ‘MS-13’ on his knuckles.”
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