Washington, DC – In an interview with The Wall Street Journal, US President Donald Trump avoided stating whether the federal officer who shot a man in Minneapolis, Minnesota, acted correctly. This comes amidst widespread controversy both in the US and internationally.
- Trump: “We are reviewing everything,” and there is no prejudgment on the incident.
- Details of the incident and conflicting accounts
- Trump links the incident to immigration policies and suggests withdrawing immigration officials.
- Political and local reactions
- An ongoing issue amid a heated election campaign
Trump: “We are reviewing everything,” and there is no prejudgment on the incident.
In a roughly five-minute phone interview with the Wall Street Journal, Trump said the incident was being reviewed and that the administration would issue a decision afterward. However, he did not directly answer whether the officer who fired the shots during a protest in Minneapolis had acted appropriately. Despite media pressure, Trump avoided giving a direct answer when asked twice about the federal agents’ discretionary actions, simply stating that the investigation was ongoing.
Details of the incident and conflicting accounts
The incident is linked to the killing of Alex Pretty, a 37-year-old intensive care nurse. He was shot and killed by a federal law enforcement officer during protests in Minnesota. According to the U.S. government, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents confronted Pretty while he was carrying a semi-automatic weapon. They claimed he resisted disarming them, and the shooting was in self-defense. However, bystander video footage shows the officer taking the weapon from Pretty seconds before firing. This has raised questions about the federal agents’ conduct and their handling of the protests.
Trump links the incident to immigration policies and suggests withdrawing immigration officials.
During the interview, Trump said he “doesn’t like shooting,” but he also doesn’t like anyone showing up to a protest armed with a fully loaded firearm. This was seen as a reference to his stance on the escalating violence at the protests. Trump added that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers might be withdrawn from Minneapolis “at some point.” However, he did not specify a date, indicating that other teams would remain in the area to deal with what he called “financial fraud issues.”
Political and local reactions
The incident sparked tensions between federal and local authorities in Minnesota. The governor and local officials called for the withdrawal of federal officers, criticizing the actions as violent and uncoordinated. The Minnesota attorney general also criticized the federal administration, calling the official account “illogical” in light of video footage that contradicted the government’s version of events.
An ongoing issue amid a heated election campaign
This incident comes at a time of mounting pressure on the Trump administration in the lead-up to the 2026 US elections. The opposition and the media are criticizing the administration’s hardline immigration policies and its handling of the protests by federal agents. Meanwhile, the White House defends its approach to what it considers “chaos” and incitement by Democratic forces.
