Administration officials are shifting their approach to the killing of ICU nurse Alex Pretti in Minneapolis, with President Trump taking a softer tone amid bipartisan backlash over the shooting and the federal government’s handling of the fallout.
In the immediate aftermath of Pretti’s killing on Saturday, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem accused him of committing “domestic terrorism” and brandishing a firearm at Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents before being killed, an assessment she’s stood by so far.
White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller called Pretti a “would-be assassin” in a post on the social platform X.
Democrats expressed outrage when Noem and Miller used similar language after Renee Good was shot and killed in her car by a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer earlier this month. The White House generally doubled down on its stance defending the officer in that case and accused Good of trying to run agents over, though eyewitness videos showed her attempting to steer away from them.
But the administration has adjusted its approach to be more conciliatory in the face of bipartisan blowback over Pretti’s killing, particularly as videos have shown he didn’t appear to take out his gun before being taken to the ground and shot. Instead, he was disarmed before a Border Patrol agent opened fire.
The most significant shift came from Trump, who spoke with Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D) by phone on Monday. Although Walz has been a frequent target of Trump’s fierce criticism for his handling of immigration and a social services fraud scandal in Minnesota, the president described it as a “very good call.”
“Governor Tim Walz called me with the request to work together with respect to Minnesota. It was a very good call, and we, actually, seemed to be on a similar wavelength,” Trump said in a post on Truth Social.
Walz also called the conversation productive, saying Trump agreed to consider reducing the number of federal agents in Minnesota and ensuring the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension is able to conduct an independent investigation into what happened.
The Democratic governor and other state officials have complained for days that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has shut them out of the investigation, weeks after facing a similar situation following the Good shooting.
Beyond the change in tone, Trump has also signaled a shift in personnel in Minneapolis as the administration pushes to gain further control of the situation and cool tensions.
Trump announced Monday that he’s sending White House border czar Tom Homan to Minnesota to oversee operations. Although Homan has a reputation for being a hard-liner on immigration enforcement, he’s been consistent in striking a calmer and more open-minded tone following the deaths of Good and Pretti, arguably building more credibility than Noem.
After Good was killed, Homan declined to weigh in immediately, saying he wanted to see the video and wanted a full investigation to take place.
Multiple outlets reported that some Border Patrol agents — including chief Gregory Bovino, who has defended the agents’ conduct — are expected to leave Minnesota.
Earlier Monday, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt distanced Trump from Noem and Miller’s rhetoric made in the aftermath of Pretti’s killing suggesting he attempted to attack or injure law enforcement.
When asked about the senior Trump officials’ comments, Leavitt said she has not heard the president “characterize Mr. Pretti in that way” and added that Trump “wants to let the facts and the investigation lead itself.”
The shifts from the White House came in the face of pressure from both sides of the political aisle, marking a rare moment in which Republicans are showing more confidence in criticizing the administration.
Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) called for the heads of ICE, CBP and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to testify before the Senate Homeland Security Committee over the “exceptional amount of funding” allotted for immigration enforcement. That call was echoed by Sen. John Curtis (R-Utah), who said Noem’s response to the shooting was “premature” and weakened public confidence.
“I will be working with a bipartisan group of senators to demand real oversight and transparency,” Curtis said.
Various GOP governors, including Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt, have publicly encouraged the administration to change its approach to immigration enforcement.
▪ The Hill: Trump facing growing GOP backlash on immigration.
▪ The Hill: White House pulls back amid public uproar over Pretti killing.
Meanwhile, various members of the administration have distanced themselves from Noem’s comments.
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said Monday that Pretti’s actions before he was shot didn’t constitute domestic terrorism, and he insisted he doesn’t want to “prejudge the facts.”
Trump reportedly met with Noem for two hours Monday evening at her request amid the backlash. Two people briefed on the meeting, which also included Noem’s top aide, Corey Lewandowski, told The New York Times that the president didn’t suggest during the meeting that either of their jobs were in jeopardy. Other top aides including White House chief of staff Susie Wiles, Leavitt and communications director Steven Cheung were reportedly in the meeting.
Leavitt told reporters earlier Monday that Trump still has confidence in Noem. But Democrats’ outrage with her conduct is reaching a new high point, with many calling for her to resign or be impeached.
