Trump and Bukele addressed migration, economy, and security in Washington

The president of the United States, Donald Trump, received his counterpart from El Salvador, Nayib Bukele, this Thursday in the Oval Office for a closed-door meeting. The encounter, held in Washington D.C., took place a few days after Bukele registered to seek a third consecutive term.

When asked by INFOBAE about the content of the conversation between the leaders, a source from the White House stated that “the presidents mainly discussed joint mechanisms to combat illegal immigration, foster economic growth, and ensure regional security”.

The bilateral dialogue took place in a context of greater rapprochement between the U.S. administration and the Salvadoran government.

For its part, El Salvador remains one of the closest regional allies of the U.S. administration, which since its return to the presidency in 2025 has shown public support for like-minded candidacies in the region.

EFE reported that the Trump presidency expressed support for aligned candidacies in countries such as Honduras and Costa Rica, reinforcing Washington’s strategy of supporting Latin American allies on migration and security issues.

We recommend reading. Trump to receive Bukele following the endorsement of a third presidential term in El Salvador

Bukele‘s arrival took place shortly after formalizing his candidacy for a third presidential term, following the constitutional reform approved and ratified by the Legislative Assembly on July 31, 2025.

This reform eliminated presidential term limits, extended the term to six years, and abolished the runoff election, modifying articles 75, 80, 133, 152, and 154 of the Constitution.

United States President Donald Trump welcomes the President of El Salvador, Nayib Bukele, at the White House in Washington D.C., United States, on April 14, 2025. (REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein)

Strategic cooperation and technological development

The relationship between the United States and El Salvador is in a stage of strategic cooperation. Currently, the bilateral agenda prioritizes migration, economic development, and the fight against organized crime, which are central aspects for both governments.

Within the framework of the bilateral relationship, the United States and El Salvador signed the Pax Silica Alliance, an agreement aimed at boosting the development of advanced technologies and the digitalization of the Salvadoran economy. This initiative allows for the creation of applied research laboratories and promotes the training of local talent in areas such as Artificial Intelligence, cybersecurity, and industrial software applications.

The President of El Salvador, Nayib Bukele, speaks during the inauguration ceremony of the new Attorney General’s Office building in Antiguo Cuscatlán, El Salvador, on May 19, 2026.

Furthermore, bilateral cooperation has expanded into trade agreements, as evidenced by the signing of a reciprocal trade agreement between both countries at the beginning of 2026. The Agreement between the United States of America and the Republic of El Salvador on Reciprocal Trade, which established preferential conditions for the exchange of goods and services.

This pact facilitates the access of Salvadoran products to the U.S. market and promotes the arrival of investments in sectors such as manufacturing, agro-industry, and technology. According to data shared by the agency EFE, the agreement included provisions for the protection of intellectual property and the reduction of non-tariff barriers, which strengthened the business climate in El Salvador.

These instruments reflected the interest of both governments in consolidating strategic cooperation, based on innovation, economic growth, and job creation, as a response to the migration and security challenges in the region.