The White House has attempted to calm rising tensions over the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti in Minnesota as Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt clarified that President Donald Trump has not referred to Pretti as a "domestic terrorist", even as other senior officials drew sharp comparisons. "I have not heard the president characterise Mr Pretti in that way. However, I have heard the President say he wants to let the facts and the investigation lead itself," Leavitt stated as per ANI.
Her remarks came after Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy Stephen Miller publicly compared Pretti to a domestic terrorist following his killing during an encounter with federal agents. When pressed on whether Miller would apologise, Leavitt stood by the administration's stance that the probe must run its course. "Nobody here at the White House, including the President of the United States, wants to see Americans hurt or killed and losing their lives in American streets," she added.
Trump claims 'good call' with Minnesota Governor
Amid growing public anger, Trump said he had a productive conversation with Minnesota Governor Tim Walz over the escalating situation following the killing of a US citizen by ICE officers. He wrote on Truth Social that Walz had "called me with the request to work together with respect to Minnesota", adding that both were on a "similar wavelength". The President said he had directed top border security official Tom Homan to connect with Walz and that the governor welcomed the intervention.
Trump also boasted of what he called aggressive law and order successes in other American cities, saying crime had dropped significantly in many places touched by federal operations. According to him, "Crime is way down" in Minnesota as well, although both he and the governor wanted further improvements. He had earlier announced that he was deploying Homan to Minnesota in the wake of Pretti's killing.
Legal challenges and public protests intensify
Authorities have still not released crucial evidence supporting their claim that the agent who shot Pretti acted in self-defence. A judge heard arguments on halting the ongoing immigration crackdown, while another federal court has blocked agencies from altering or destroying evidence related to the shooting. The situation has dramatically worsened public anger in Minneapolis, where protests erupted over the deaths of two US citizens during federal immigration operations. Renee Good, a 37-year-old mother of three, was killed on January 7 during demonstrations against the administration's heavily militarised raids. Pretti died on January 24 after being restrained at point-blank range by federal officers.
Political blame and counterclaims
Trump defended ICE personnel suggesting Pretti may have been armed. Reports indicate Pretti was licensed to carry a weapon and had already been disarmed. Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison hit back strongly, calling the president's claims "flat-out insane". Meanwhile, judges are reviewing whether the deployment of heavily armed federal officers violates state sovereignty. Congressional Democrats have also warned that they may block federal funding unless urgent reforms are brought into immigration enforcement protocols.
