Minneapolis, Jan 28 (.) Several senior officials in the Trump administration are finding themselves in a lick of trouble as they face mounting bipartisan backlash after their initial public response to the infamous shooting of a nurse Alex Pretti by ICE (Immigration Customs Enforcement) agents in Minneapolis, forcing the White House to soften its rhetoric and overhaul leadership of the operation in Minnesota.
The retreat by officers marks a notable shift from the combative tone adopted by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller in the immediate aftermath of Pretti’s death on Saturday.
After months of promising an uncompromising crackdown in Minnesota, Trump now appears to be recalibrating his political position, following the shooting, and heavy public and govt backlash against ICE.
Describing Trump’s position on the issue, the anonymous official remarked “It’s f****d, and POTUS knew he needed to un-f*** it.”
Amid intense criticism and the overall public disapproval of the administration’s aggressive immigration crackdown, President Donald Trump was forced to intervene directly in order to de-escalate the situation.
Over the weekend, Trump dispatched White House border operations director, dubbed “border czar” Tom Homan to the Twin Cities and publicly highlighted conversations with Minnesota Governor Tim Walz aimed at calming tensions.
US Border Patrol commander Greg Bovino, the on-the-ground face of the federal operations in Minnesota, is also expected to leave the state, according to local officials and multiple media reports.
According to Axios, Trump privately expressed frustration over what he called “callous” public statements issued by officials within his administration following Pretti’s killing.
The presidential backlash further emboldened Senate Democrats to threaten a partial government shutdown and intensified calls — including from some Republicans — for investigations into the incident. Democratic support for impeaching Noem has surged, with Senator John Fetterman (D-Pa.), who previously backed her confirmation, calling on Tuesday for her to be “immediately” removed.
Noem’s initial account of the shooting — in which she described Pretti as a “domestic terrorist” who was brandishing a weapon and intent on harming officers — was contradicted by bystander video footage, with several GOP lawmakers publicly slamming her remarks, and decrying the incident as they called for a transparent investigation.
Despite reports that Noem met Trump for several hours on Monday evening, her position does not yet appear to be in immediate jeopardy.
Bovino, who had fiercely defended federal agents and argued that immigration officers were the true victims of unrest, has now been sidelined.
While Noem’s immediate position is unknown, the DHS confirmed that Bovino would return to his previous post in El Centro, California, though a department spokeswoman denied that he had been formally relieved of duty.
With Homan now leading efforts on the ground, enforcement tactics are expected to shift.
As per the publication’s source within the administration, Homan plans to focus on more targeted immigration actions and reduce confrontational encounters.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt described Bovino as a “wonderful man” but confirmed Homan would serve as the primary federal point person in Minneapolis.
One official familiar with the operation said Bovino’s approach had fuelled escalation. “He’s a cowboy, and it was a mess. It was only escalation, and no one was going to back down,” the source said. “Homan going is a good thing. Someone needed to step in.”
The controversy has also spilled into the gun-rights debate. FBI Director Kash Patel drew criticism after telling Fox News that individuals cannot bring loaded firearms with multiple magazines to protests — a claim disputed by gun-rights groups and Minnesota officials. Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara confirmed that Pretti had a valid permit to carry his handgun under state law.
Gun advocacy organisations, including the National Rifle Association and Gun Owners of America, also rebuked federal prosecutor Bill Essayli for suggesting officers may be justified in shooting someone who approaches them while armed — a scenario not supported by available video footage.
The NRA called Essayli’s remarks “dangerous and wrong,” while Gun Owners of America labelled them “untoward.” Essayli has denied mischaracterising the law.
Leavitt defended the administration’s position, saying that carrying a firearm during encounters with law enforcement increases the “risk of force being used against you.”
. . CDS