El Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele requested U.S. Ambassador Ronald D. Johnson remove a U.S. contractor who was investigating corruption within Bukele's administration. The contractor had been assisting the FBI in uncovering a suspected alliance between Bukele's government and the MS-13 gang. Johnson, a former CIA officer and Trump appointee, launched an investigation that led to the contractor's dismissal. This action was part of a pattern where Johnson allegedly shielded Bukele from U.S. and Salvadoran law enforcement. Johnson also reportedly did little to pursue the extradition of an MS-13 boss crucial to the gang pact investigation. After leaving his ambassadorship, Johnson continued to support Bukele, even as the Biden administration sought to curb the president's authoritarianism. Johnson's successor, Jean Manes, investigated the contractor's firing, concluding that Bukele had directly requested the dismissal. Manes also forced out the CIA station chief, who was a friend of Johnson's and allegedly too close to Bukele, undermining U.S. policy. Reports suggest Johnson and the station chief's continued relationship with Bukele fostered resistance to the new U.S. stance. Despite these controversies, Johnson was confirmed as ambassador to Mexico, and Bukele met with Trump to celebrate an immigration agreement. Critics accuse Johnson of being a mouthpiece for the Salvadoran government, while defenders claim his close ties served U.S. interests, particularly in reducing migration. The State Department denied that Johnson impeded law enforcement efforts to protect Bukele.