Trump abandons attack mode as backlash over Minneapolis shooting

The Trump administration initially used but quickly abandoned the familiar “deny and attack” tactic following the fatal shooting of Alex Pretty by federal agents in Minneapolis on Saturday morning.

Within 24 hours, as videos of various shootings circulated online, the White House’s disconnect with public opinion became apparent.

Since then, the administration and the president himself have changed tack, blaming Democrats for what happened and focusing less on the actions of the slain American nurse.

Meanwhile, Democrats have stepped up criticism of the president’s mass deportation policies and aggressive tactics by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), leaning into a political battle that could lead to a new government shutdown on Friday.

On Monday morning, Deputy Attorney General Todd Branch described the situation as a “powder keg.” Although he blames Democrats, many on both sides of the American political divide would agree that the current situation is fraught with danger.

The government’s initial response to Preeti’s death was simple. The 37-year-old has been portrayed as a domestic terrorist bent on bloodshed.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said Pretty wanted to “inflict harm” and “brandished” a weapon. U.S. Border Patrol Commander Gregory Bovino said, “It looks like this was a situation where one person wanted to cause maximum damage and carnage to law enforcement.”

Senior adviser to the president Stephen Miller called Pretty a “potential assassin.”

This White House has typically been quick to push back when criticized. “Denial and attack” has long been Trump’s basic strategy for dealing with adversity.

But perhaps tellingly, White House press secretary Carolyn Levitt herself declined to respond to Mueller’s comments on Monday when asked whether the president agreed with his top advisers. Instead, she said a full investigation would be conducted.

The tone was noticeably softer than the tone issued in the immediate aftermath of the shooting.

The initial response echoed the approach taken by the administration three weeks ago, when federal law enforcement shot and killed another Minneapolis resident, Renee Good. They said Goode was a terrorist who “weaponized” her vehicle in an attempt to harm ICE agents.

As in Goode’s case, the federal government’s version of events has been disputed by local officials, witnesses and the victims’ families.

In a statement on Sunday, Preeti’s parents demanded the truth be found out, adding: “The government’s sickening lies about our son are reprehensible and disgusting.”

Multiple videos of Saturday’s deadly encounter contradict many of the government’s initial claims. The video shows Preti filming ICE agents on her cell phone and helping a woman who was pushed to the ground before both were pepper-sprayed. Preity was apparently not holding a gun when he was thrown to the ground.

The Department of Homeland Security said Pretty had a 9mm semi-automatic handgun and two magazines of ammunition. Local police said Preity was a legal gun owner. Under Minnesota law, citizens can legally carry a concealed handgun in public if they have a permit.

This time, the government’s initial rapid response became unsustainable.

“People have had enough,” said Minneapolis Police Officer Brian O’Hara, noting that his officers arrested hundreds of violent offenders last year without firing a shot. “This is unsustainable.”

Republicans in Washington, D.C. and elsewhere have expressed growing unease about the administration’s handling of the situation. Vermont Gov. Phil Scott called the federal effort in Minnesota a “complete failure at best to coordinate acceptable public safety and law enforcement practices, training and leadership.”

The worst-case scenario, he said, is “a deliberate federal effort to intimidate and incite American citizens.”

In Congress, some Republicans expressed unease with the White House’s actions and called for new oversight.

The tone from the White House has changed markedly since Sunday night. Veterans Affairs Minister Doug Collins expressed his condolences to the Pretty family. The president posted a message on his Truth Society website, calling the death a “tragedy” and blaming it on the “Democratic chaos that ensued” — a message echoed by Vice President Vance.

On Monday morning, Trump posted that he would send “Border Czar” Tom Homan to Minnesota to direct law enforcement efforts there. Homan, who handled deportations during the administration of Democrat Barack Obama, is considered a more measured, politically coordinated operator less prone to the kind of bombastic rhetoric that Noem and Bovino have made recently.

“Tom is tough but fair and will report directly to me,” Trump wrote.

While Homan’s dispatch to Minneapolis doesn’t necessarily reflect a change in policy — the administration has yet to show signs of abandoning its aggressive immigration enforcement — it could be a change in narrative as polls show public sentiment is worsening and the president is trying to counter his approach to immigration repression.

In a CBS poll conducted before the weekend shootings, 61% of respondents said ICE was “too harsh in stopping and detaining people,” while 58% disapproved of his overall handling of immigration.

Asked by BBC News about Homan’s involvement, Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison said he might offer new ways to work with the government.

“I don’t want to rule out the possibility that rational thinking will prevail,” he added, “but we are here precisely because the federal government’s position is unreasonable.”

Another potential detente emerged when Trump announced on Monday that he had spoken with Minnesota Democratic Gov. Tim Walz.

“This is a very good decision,” Trump wrote. “In fact, we seemed to be kindred spirits.”

It represents a marked de-escalation in a series of heated exchanges between the two men in recent weeks — and could herald the kind of de-escalation many politicians in Minnesota have been calling for.

However, that may not be enough for Washington Democrats, who face growing pressure to distance themselves from the Trump administration’s rhetoric and policies.

Congressman Tom Suozzi said Monday he regrets voting for the recent Department of Homeland Security (DHS) appropriations bill that included funding for immigration enforcement.

He posted on

Senate Democrats announced they would now block the funding measure in the Senate, which would result in a partial government shutdown Friday night.

“I voted against providing any funding to the Department of Homeland Security without additional controls to hold ICE accountable,” said Sen. Brian Schatz of Hawaii. “The recurring violence across the country is unlawful and an unnecessary escalation that makes us all less safe.”

However, the move is not without political risks. Last fall, Democrats triggered a record-breaking government shutdown over health care subsidies that ultimately accomplished little.

A new government shutdown — which would not affect ICE funding but could impede national emergency preparedness and other government functions — could have similarly limited results. Democrats will also be wary of going too far on immigration and law and order, two issues on which they poll poorly.

Currently, both Republicans and Democrats are grappling with how to respond to this explosive situation. Public perception of Trump’s immigration policies is crucial, a core political issue for the president and one that helped him win back the White House.