Trump Signals ‘De-Escalation’ in Minnesota After Fatal Pretti Shooting

President Donald Trump said his administration would “de-escalate a little bit” its federal immigration operations in Minnesota following the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti, an intensive care nurse and U.S. citizen, by federal agents over the weekend.

Speaking in a Fox News interview aired Tuesday, Trump described the shooting as “a very unfortunate incident,” adding that it followed another deadly encounter involving federal immigration officers in the state earlier this month.

“Bottom line, it was terrible,” Trump said. “Both of them were terrible.”

The remarks marked the clearest indication yet that the White House is reconsidering its posture in Minnesota, where two fatal shootings by federal officers within weeks have triggered protests, public anger, and bipartisan calls for accountability.

Second fatal shooting reignites scrutiny

Pretti was killed during a confrontation with federal border agents while being stopped in Minnesota on Saturday. His death came just two weeks after 37-year-old Renee Good was fatally shot by an immigration officer in a separate incident, intensifying scrutiny of the Trump administration’s expanded enforcement operations in the region.

The back-to-back deaths have sparked demonstrations across Minnesota and beyond, with local officials demanding a pullback of the roughly 3,000 immigration agents and officers deployed in the state as part of the administration’s immigration crackdown.

Pretti, according to family members and local officials, worked as an intensive care nurse at a veterans’ hospital. His killing quickly became a flashpoint, drawing condemnation from civil rights groups and elected officials from both major parties.

Conflicting accounts from officials and witnesses

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said shortly after the shooting that Pretti “wasn’t there to peacefully protest” and accused him of “domestic terrorism,” alleging he had been “brandishing” a firearm during the confrontation.

The Department of Homeland Security said agents fired in self-defence after Pretti resisted attempts to disarm him.

Those claims, however, have been challenged by eyewitnesses and local officials, who said Pretti was holding a phone—not a weapon—when he was shot. Authorities later confirmed that Pretti did legally own a firearm but said it had already been removed before shots were fired.

A preliminary report drafted by Customs and Border Protection appears to raise further questions. According to a copy reviewed by CBS News, the report states that two agents fired their weapons but does not say that Pretti was reaching for his firearm at the time.

A federal judge has since ordered DHS to preserve all evidence related to the incident, blocking the agency from destroying or altering materials connected to the shooting.

Trump pushes back on ‘terrorism’ label

Asked by reporters whether he agreed with characterizations of Pretti as a domestic terrorist, Trump distanced himself from the claim.

“I haven’t heard that,” he said before adding, “He shouldn’t have been carrying a gun.”

The comment drew criticism from advocates and some lawmakers, who noted that local authorities had already said Pretti’s firearm was legally registered.

Despite acknowledging the gravity of the shooting, Trump largely defended the administration’s broader immigration strategy, arguing that federal operations had improved public safety in Minnesota.

“We took thousands of hardened criminals out of the state,” Trump said. “So they have good crime numbers.”

Leadership shakeup and White House intervention

On Monday, DHS removed Gregory Bovino, the Border Patrol official who had served as the public face of the Minnesota operation. The department announced that Tom Homan, the White House’s border policy chief, would take over leadership on the ground.

Homan said on social media Tuesday that he had met with Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, and local law enforcement officials as the administration reassesses its approach.

Stephen Miller, a senior White House adviser overseeing deportation efforts, told CNN that DHS had been given “clear guidance” on how additional personnel should be used during operations.

“We are evaluating why the [Customs and Border Patrol] team may not have been following that protocol,” Miller said, referring to guidelines intended to separate arrest teams from protesters and bystanders.

Bipartisan calls for investigation

Pressure on the administration has continued to mount, with several Republican leaders joining Democrats in calling for a full investigation into Pretti’s death.

Vermont Governor Phil Scott and Nebraska Senator Pete Ricketts both urged transparency, with Ricketts describing the incident as “horrifying.”

“While my support for funding ICE remains the same,” Ricketts wrote on social media, “I expect a prioritized, transparent investigation into this incident.”

Local officials in Minnesota have echoed those demands, arguing that federal agents have escalated tensions and undermined trust in law enforcement.

Rally remarks avoid Minnesota specifics

Trump largely avoided discussing the Minnesota situation during a campaign rally in Iowa on Tuesday night, focusing instead on his administration’s economic agenda and broader immigration policies.

He cited a Harvard-Harris poll from December suggesting strong public support for deporting undocumented immigrants who have committed crimes, framing the crackdown as a cornerstone of his presidency.

Still, his acknowledgment that operations in Minnesota would be “de-escalated” suggested a tactical shift—one driven by public backlash, legal scrutiny, and growing political pressure.

For now, investigations into Pretti’s death continue, as Minnesota remains a focal point in the national debate over immigration enforcement, use of force, and federal authority.