President Donald Trump said Tuesday his administration plans to “de-escalate a little bit” in Minnesota after two U.S. citizens were killed this month in encounters with federal immigration agents. This marked a shift in tone after days of public backlash and disputed early claims about the most recent shooting.
“Bottom line, it was terrible. Both of them were terrible,” Trump told Fox News during an interview on “The Will Cain Show,” referring to the deaths of Alex Pretti and Renee Nicole Good. Trump added, “I hate to see it, I hate to see that,” and mentioned that the personnel changes in Minnesota were “a little bit of a change,” not a retreat from enforcement.
Trump’s comments followed the shooting of Alex Pretti, 37, a Veterans Affairs ICU nurse, who was killed Saturday in Minneapolis by federal agents during anti-ICE protests. In the days after the incident, senior administration figures described Pretti as a “domestic terrorist” and a “would-be assassin,” terms that Trump later rejected.
Before leaving the White House for Iowa on Tuesday, Trump told reporters that the shooting was “very unfortunate.” He stated that he did not believe Pretti was acting as an “assassin,” according to Newsweek.
A preliminary review by U.S. Customs and Border Protection of the Pretti shooting, based on body camera footage and agency documents, did not indicate that Pretti brandished a firearm. It reported that his 9mm handgun remained holstered during the confrontation, according to Reuters. The review mentioned that a struggle broke out after agents tried to arrest Pretti, and an officer yelled, “He’s got a gun!” shortly before two officers fired, as reported by Reuters.
The killing of Pretti followed a previous fatal shooting in Minneapolis. Renee Nicole Good, 37, was shot and killed by an ICE agent during an encounter on Jan. 7, an event that led to protests, lawsuits, and internal issues among the agencies involved in immigration enforcement.
In the Fox interview, Trump stated he plans to “de-escalate” operations in Minnesota. He explained why he removed Border Patrol commander Gregory Bovino from the Minneapolis assignment and replaced him with White House border czar Tom Homan. Trump described Bovino as “very good” but “a pretty out-there kind of a guy,” and he chose Homan because “he gets along with governors, and he gets along with mayors.”
Homan met with Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, both Democrats who have urged federal authorities to reduce the number of agents in the state and to work more closely with local officials. Fox News reported that Walz’s office stated that Walz and Homan agreed on the need for continued dialogue.
Trump also addressed firearms in the context of the Minneapolis protests. He expressed discomfort with Pretti carrying a fully loaded gun with two magazines, calling it “pretty unusual,” but acknowledged lawful gun ownership under the Second Amendment.
Newsweek reported that Trump’s “de-escalate” comment signaled a shift after the White House faced backlash over its initial statements about Pretti, especially with video circulating that appeared to show Pretti disarmed before shots were fired. Reuters, citing the CBP review, indicated that the video showed the firearm being removed from Pretti’s waist only after the shooting.
The investigation into Pretti’s death is still ongoing, and officials have not publicly named the agents who fired. Meanwhile, Trump has announced that the administration intends to adjust its stance in Minnesota while continuing immigration enforcement. He framed the change as an effort to reduce tensions after two deadly incidents in less than three weeks.
