GREENBELT, Md. — A federal judge told the Trump administration Friday that its explanation for invoking the state secrets privilege in the Kilmar Abrego Garcia case is inadequate, describing the government’s reasoning for withholding information as “take my word for it.”

Trump administration attorneys have argued that releasing details in open court — or even to the judge in private – about returning Abrego Garcia to the United States would jeopardize national security. For example, they said it would reveal sensitive and confidential negotiations with foreign countries.

But U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis in Maryland said she was at a loss for how she can independently determine the nature of the government’s concerns with the information it provided.

“There’s simply no details,” she said. “This is basically ‘take my word for it.’”

Jonathan Guynn, a Justice Department attorney, disagreed that the explanation was inadequate.

The focus of Friday’s hearing was primarily on the Trump administration’s desire to invoke the state secrets privilege, a legal doctrine.

— The Associated Press