(The White House issued a formal defense of its immigration tactics on Monday, January 26, 2026, attempting to balance an expression of sympathy with a sharp political attack on Minnesota leadership following the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti.)
During a heated press briefing, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stated that “Nobody in the White House, including President Trump, wants to see people getting hurt or killed in America’s streets”. However, Leavitt quickly pivoted to blaming Governor Tim Walz and Mayor Jacob Frey, claiming the deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti were the “direct consequence” of local leaders encouraging “hostile resistance” and “left-wing agitators” to obstruct federal agents. The administration maintains that these operations are necessary to remove “illegal alien criminals” who have “victimized” Americans, despite mounting video evidence that has led use-of-force experts to question the federal narrative of the Pretti shooting.
As President Trump announced three separate federal reviews into the incident, he also continued to use Truth Social to frame the crackdown as a battle against “massive monetary fraud” and “violent criminals”. While the President reportedly had a “productive” call with Governor Walz today, the White House remains steadfast: federal agents will not leave until the state “cooperates” in the rapid removal of undocumented residents.
