The White House began to adopt a softer tone in relation to the death of nurse Alex Pretti, shot by federal agents in Minneapolis, after the operation provoked mass protests and pressure to stop the offensive of deportations in Minnesota.
In a press conference this Monday (26), spokesperson Karoline Leavitt stated that “no one in the White House, including President Donald Trump, wants to see people injured or killed on the streets of the United States”, when commenting on the cases of Pretti and Renee Nicole Good, another American citizen killed by federal agents in the city.
The change in discourse contrasts with the first reactions within the government itself, when members of the administration even called Pretti a “domestic terrorist” and suggested that he intended to “massacre” law enforcement officers.
Statements by the Secretary of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem — that the nurse was “brandishing” a gun and reacted “violently” — began to be challenged after analysis of videos made by the press, which show Pretti with a phone in his hand at the beginning of the approach and indicate that an agent had taken a gun from him before the shots were fired.
Amid the escalation of tension, Trump announced the sending of Tom Homan, his government’s border “czar”, to Minnesota, with the mission of coordinating immigration operations in the state and reporting directly to the White House.
The move comes as Trump tries to reduce friction with Democratic Governor Tim Walz, with whom he said he had a “great conversation” and signaled a willingness to cooperate.
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Walz, in turn, calls for independent investigations into the deaths in Minneapolis and says the Department of Homeland Security needs to ensure that state agencies can conduct impartial investigations. At the same time, the White House continues to attribute part of the crisis to the “deliberate resistance” of local Democratic leaders to federal actions.
