The tone coming out of the Trump Administration on the ICE deployment to Minneapolis has changed dramatically in the last week, especially after the killing of Alex Pretti on Saturday.
As reported by Mediaite, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt on Monday acknowledged that Trump cabinet members were too quick to determine that Pretti was an “assassin.”
NBC: Why did administration officials jump to conclusions on Pretti before an investigation had even been conducted?
LEAVITT: This has obviously been a very fluid and fast moving situation pic.twitter.com/k8VB0tvl7W
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) January 26, 2026
“On Saturday, Pretti was shot and killed by ICE agents during an altercation in Minneapolis. In footage recorded by numerous bystanders, the agents could be seen wrestling Pretti to the ground. At the time, Pretti was legally carrying a handgun on his waist. That weapon was seemingly removed by one of the agents; agents then opened fire and shot Pretti multiple times,” Mediaite reported about the Saturday shooting.
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Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem claimed that Pretti “attacked” agents, while Stephen Miller claimed, without evidence, that Pretti attempted to murder agents with his weapon.
When asked about the change in attitude on Monday in a White House press briefing, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt answered:
“Well, look, this has obviously been a very fluid and fast-moving situation throughout the weekend. As for President Trump, whom I speak for, he has said that he wants to let the investigation continue and let the facts lead in this case.”
The White House sought to rapidly distance Trump from their initial portrayals of the man fatally shot by federal officials in Minnesota as a gunman, as they faced a deepening backlash after video footage that undercut their assertions @guardian latest https://t.co/62pH17AJkA
— Hugo Lowell (@hugolowell) January 27, 2026
ABC’s Mary Bruce asked about Pretti being called a “domestic terrorist,” and whether she agreed.
“Look, as I’ve said, I have not heard the president characterize Mr. Pretti in that way,” Leavitt said in the briefing. “However, I have heard the president say he wants to let the facts and the investigation lead itself.”
According to The Guardian, the White House has significantly backed down in recent days.
“White House officials sought to rapidly distance Donald Trump and top officials from their initial portrayals of the man fatally shot by federal officials in Minnesota as a gunman, as they faced a deepening backlash after video footage was widely seen to undercut their assertions,” the newspaper said. “The move came as Trump advisers appeared to realize that the caustic portrayals of the man, Alex Pretti, who was reportedly licensed to carry a gun, had turned the killing into an even larger political liability for the president.”
Photo courtesy of the Political Tribune media library.
