Trump Pledges 'De-escalation' in Minnesota Amid Protests Following Shootings

Tue Feb 03 2026 19:30:23 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

In the wake of recent fatal shootings involving federal immigration officers in Minnesota, President Trump announced plans to scale back operations in the state, addressing concerns from local officials and the public.

Following the fatal shootings of U.S. citizens by immigration officers in Minnesota, President Trump has pledged to 'de-escalate' federal operations in the state. His comments come amidst heightened protests and criticism from lawmakers after the deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti. The Department of Homeland Security has made changes to on-ground leadership, while discussions over immigration enforcement continue to ignite debate across the country.

President Donald Trump said his administration was going to de-escalate a little bit in Minnesota, following the second fatal shooting of a US citizen by federal immigration officers there.

Bottom line, it was terrible. Both of them were terrible, he commented during a Fox News interview on Tuesday.

Earlier this month, Renee Good was fatally shot by an immigration officer, followed by Alex Pretti, who was killed after being stopped by border agents this past weekend. Pretti's death has reignited local protests and public outcry nationally, which has led to criticism from lawmakers in both parties. Trump's remarks signify a step back for his administration's operations in Minnesota.

On Monday, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) removed the Minnesota mission's leader, Border Patrol official Gregory Bovino, and appointed White House border tsar Tom Homan to the position, with Homan set to meet local officials this week. Trump labeled Pretti's death, an intensive care nurse at a veterans' hospital, “a very unfortunate incident.”

When questioned about Pretti being referred to as a domestic terrorist, Trump said he had not heard that claim and added, He shouldn't have been carrying a gun.

DHS Secretary Kristi Noem claimed Pretti was shot for brandishing a weapon, although local authorities stated that the gun was legally registered and that Pretti was shot after it was taken from him. Additionally, DHS maintained that the agents acted in self-defense after Pretti resisted disarmament. Eyewitnesses and local officials have disputed that account, stating he had a phone in his hand instead of a weapon.

Noem accused Pretti of domestic terrorism following the incident. As protests continued in response to Pretti's death and that of Renee Good, local residents began demanding that the Trump administration withdraw its 3,000 immigration agents from the area.

In the Fox News interview, Trump defended the Minnesota operations, asserting that they had removed thousands of hardened criminals, resulting in positive crime statistics. He affirmed, That's all working out; we have Tom Homan there now, before reiterating the intention to de-escalate the situation.

Stephen Miller, a key White House aide involved in the deportation initiative, shared that the White House advised DHS to use extra personnel sent for force protection to conduct fugitive operations, aiming to separate arrest teams from disruptors. Miller also indicated the ongoing evaluation regarding the Customs and Border Patrol's adherence to this protocol.

In the aftermath, some Republican leaders, including Vermont Governor Phil Scott and US Senator Pete Ricketts of Nebraska, called for an investigation into Pretti's death. Ricketts described the situation as horrifying and emphasized the need for a transparent inquiry, despite reaffirming his support for funding Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

A federal judge has since prohibited DHS from destroying or altering any evidence related to the incident.

While Trump did not delve deeply into the Minnesota situation during his Iowa rally dedicated to economic policies, he broadly discussed immigration enforcement, referencing polls suggesting wide public support for deporting illegal immigrants involved in criminal activities.