Donald Trump is once again at the center of controversies. This time, it has been his shocking statements about a recent incident of ICE violence, where a Minnesota nurse was gunned down. On Tuesday afternoon, the U.S. President exited the White House while answering reporters’ questions about various matters. One of them included the killing of Alex Pretti by federal agents.
While the matter is highly debated and is garnering widespread protests, Trump’s startling comment undermined all of it. He ended up saying, “You can’t have guns. You can’t walk in with guns, you just can’t. You can’t walk in with guns. You can’t do that.” This was his public comment on the issue, and while he disagreed with tagging Pretti as an assassin, he shifted the blame to the nurse’s possession of a firearm.
Later during his visit to Iowa, Trump further mentioned, “Certainly, he shouldn’t have been carrying a gun. I don’t like that he had a gun. I don’t like that he had two fully loaded magazines. That’s a lot of bad stuff.”
Trump: “With that being said, you can’t have guns. You can’t walk in with guns. You just can’t. You can’t walk in with guns. You can’t do that. But it’s just a very unfortunate incident.” pic.twitter.com/r9PE9pPJd4
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) January 27, 2026
Now the U.S. President’s statements contradict what video evidence shows. Alex was not carrying a gun when Border Patrol agents shoved him down.
He had his phone in his hand, which was mistaken for a firearm. The fact that the federal agency, as well as the government, is now trying to change the narrative has sparked massive backlash and debate over challenging Second Amendment rights.
With Donald Trump’s remark on the matter, several gun rights groups have taken to the field, challenging the rhetoric. Netizens bombarded the X account of the National Rifle Association. They highlighted the comment made by the President and whether advocates would finally speak up against the open disagreement of the Second Amendment rights.
It also led several people to believe that the Trump administration will only care about the constitutional rights of the country whenever it is politically convenient. In fact, many gun groups from across America have risen in protest to the unlawful remark passed by the U.S. President.
He didn’t interfere. He was filming, he attempted to help a woman one of Trump’s thugs had shoved to the ground. They were both pepper sprayed, he was attacked by at least five goons, his gun taken and then he was executed. Just come out and say it, you think he deserved it.
— California Native (@SanAndreasCA) January 28, 2026
For instance, former political analyst for NBC and podcaster Chuck Todd reacted to the matter in the light of Trump’s controversial remark and said, “The NRA and other gun rights groups would be raising alarms and money off of this statement if said by any president not named Trump. What we’re learning is that these folks only care about Constitutional rights when it’s politically convenient.”
Dudley Brown, the president of the National Association for Gun Rights, openly described Trump’s take on the matter as clearly mistaken and totally wrong. Speaking with CNN, he said, “I reached out to a great number of people in the administration at a very high level. And I only sent them three letters: W– And then this happens.”
Meanwhile, a third organization named Gun Owners of America also objected to the remark. Their spokesperson condemned it and said, “You absolutely may walk around with guns, and you absolutely may peacefully protest while armed. We have the First and Second amendments to protect the right to protest while armed — an American historical tradition that dates back to the Boston Tea Party.”
