Good afternoon everyone. A major development is emerging as some are now calling this a “political disaster” for the White House. Why? The White House narrative surrounding the fatal shooting of Alex Jeffrey Pretti continues to fracture as pressure mounts from courts, lawmakers, and even Republicans within Minnesota.
I have all the latest below, but I want to be clear. As a journalist in this moment, I will not hide in a fictional “grey area.” I am not afraid to tell the truth: Alex Pretti was murdered. It is the media’s responsibility to use accurate language, and that is the accurate term. I am working around the clock to bring you verified information. If you can, please subscribe to support this work.
During a briefing Monday afternoon, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt declined to endorse rhetoric used by senior administration figures. ABC News asked whether President Trump agreed with Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and adviser Stephen Miller, both of whom publicly characterized Pretti as a domestic terrorist.
Leavitt responded that she had not heard the president describe Pretti in those terms, marking a notable retreat from language already circulating at the highest levels of the administration.
That hesitation comes as the political standing of Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Department of Homeland Security continues to deteriorate. ICE now sits at its lowest net approval rating on record under Trump, negative twenty seven points and still falling.
DHS approval has dropped to forty two percent, down sharply from fifty nine percent at the same point in Trump’s first term. Kristi Noem’s own approval has remained underwater in every public poll taken during her tenure.
Legal challenges are also accelerating. On Monday afternoon, Judge Kate Menendez concluded arguments in a lawsuit filed by the state of Minnesota on January twelfth seeking to block the Trump administration’s deployment of more than three thousand federal immigration agents into the Twin Cities under Operation Metro Surge.
State attorneys argued that the scale and nature of the deployment were unprecedented and unlawful. Menendez did not rule from the bench on Minnesota’s request for a temporary restraining order.
At the same time, federal investigators are reviewing body worn camera footage from the fatal shooting of Pretti, according to a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson who spoke exclusively to NBC News.
The footage was recorded from multiple angles. NBC News also confirmed that the FBI has asked a federal judge to keep a declaration related to the evidence retention case under seal, citing threats of violence against a special agent and the agent’s family. Court filings state that public disclosure of the agent’s personal information could expose them to harm and harassment.
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz said his phone call with President Trump earlier in the day was productive. Walz said he pressed for impartial investigations into the Minneapolis shootings involving federal agents and called for a reduction in the federal presence in the state.
Political fallout is spreading beyond Minnesota Democrats. Republican Chris Madel announced Monday that he is ending his campaign for governor, citing national Republicans’ handling of immigration enforcement in the state. In a video statement, Madel said he could not support what he described as retribution against Minnesota residents. While affirming support for ICE’s original public safety mission, he said Operation Metro Surge has expanded far beyond that scope.
Madel cited reports of pretextual stops, citizens being pressured to carry proof of citizenship, and Hispanic and Asian law enforcement officers being targeted. He also argued that the party’s posture has made it nearly impossible for Republicans to win statewide office. His decision follows backlash over the fatal murders of Pretti and Renee Nicole Good and coincides with calls from several Republican members of Congress for full federal investigations.
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison framed the conflict as something broader than immigration enforcement. Referring to a letter from Attorney General Pam Bondi, Ellison said the dispute was about forcing Minnesota to hand over sensitive state records, including private and voting related information, to the federal government. He said it was not about fraud, immigration, or law enforcement.
Republican leaders outside the state are also responding. Texas Governor Greg Abbott said the White House must recalibrate ICE to restore public trust, arguing that agents should refocus on deporting people in the country illegally while operating in a more structured manner to avoid community unrest. Abbott emphasized respect for law enforcement but acknowledged the current approach has eroded confidence.
Democrats are reassessing their own positions. Representative Tom Suozzi of New York said he regretted voting to fund DHS, calling the vote a failure to recognize what he described as illegal and immoral conduct by ICE in Minneapolis following Pretti’s death.
Representative Ilhan Omar responded sharply to a Truth Social post by Trump suggesting that the Justice Department and Congress were scrutinizing her. Omar said the president’s support was collapsing and accused him of deflecting from failures with lies and conspiracy theories. She said years of investigations had found nothing and called for federal agents to leave Minnesota.
As investigations proceed, court rulings loom, and political alliances strain, the administration faces a narrowing set of options. The effort to project strength through mass enforcement has instead exposed legal vulnerability, declining public trust, and growing dissent within its own ranks.