The White House’s official social media account released an image of a “corrected” New York Times headline on Friday, which quickly stirred controversy as it appeared to signal the Trump administration’s plans to defy a Supreme Court ruling.

In the image, the White House took a headline that read, “Senator Meets With Wrongly Deported Maryland Man In El Salvador,” and crossed out the words “Wrongly” and “Maryland Man” while adding “MS-13 Illegal Alien” and “Who’s Never Coming Back.”

The Times headline was affixed to a report that began, “Senator Chris Van Hollen said on Thursday night that he had met in San Salvador with Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia, the Maryland man whose wrongful deportation to El Salvador last month has become a flashpoint in the immigration debate and fueled a standoff between the Trump administration and the courts.”

The Supreme Court had previously upheld a lower court ruling and ordered the Trump administration to “facilitate” Abrego Garcia’s return to the U.S. The Trump administration has repeatedly said Abrego Garcia is now in the custody of El Salvador and will only fly him back if El Salvador chooses to release him – despite the U.S. paying for his indefinite incarceration.

The post from the White House was met with a barrage of criticism with several pundits and observers warning of its larger implications on the rule of law in the U.S. The Washington Post’s Aaron Blake commented:

2 telling things here:

1) White House crosses out “wrongly,” despite repeatedly acknowledging its error in court.

2) “who’s never coming back” is basically taunting SCOTUS. Signals the opposite of any intent to “facilitate” his return.

Reason’s Billy Binion added, “The Trump admin really wants to distract people from the fact that it illegally sent someone to El Salvador in violation of a court order & binding law, either out of malice or sheer incompetence. No amount of shitposting will change that.”

“The White House press shop lies and claims Mr. Abrego was not wrongfully deported, despite having acknowledged that fact at every single stage of the court process; at the district court, the circuit court, and the Supreme Court. They are openly contemptuous of the truth,” added former immigration lawyer Aaron Reichlin-Melnick.

Below are some additional reactions:

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