Donald Trump, the President of the United States, sidestepped a question from Rachel Scott, ABC News senior political correspondent, regarding the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The incident involved federal agents and the President chose to target Scott, drawing applause from his supporters at the Horizon Events Center in Clive, Iowa.
Trump labeled Scott and ABC News as “fake news” on Tuesday, January 27. He added that he didn’t particularly like Scott and hasn’t received a decent question from her in years. This follows his previous statements in December where he termed Scott as “the most obnoxious reporter in the whole place” and a terrible journalist.
Trump labeled Pretti’s shooting as an unfortunate incident but also criticized him for being armed during his encounter with federal agents. Pretti was wearing a waist holster containing a pistol. However, videos analyzed by CBS News, ABC News, and others indicate that Pretti only held a cellphone in his hands when the agents confronted him.
Video evidence shows an officer retrieving Pretti’s gun from his waistband during the struggle, roughly one second before the first shot was fired. Pretti didn’t appear to brandish or reach for the weapon at any point in the videos. Officials from Minnesota confirmed that Pretti was licensed to carry a concealed weapon.
Gun rights groups criticized the President’s remarks about an armed citizen. The National Rifle Association and the Gun Owners of America, both groups known for defending the rights of law-abiding citizens to carry guns, condemned the comments made by officials following the shooting.
The shooting happened during Operation Metro Surge, which has seen a massive deployment of federal agents to Minneapolis, Minnesota. The operation has ignited controversy and legal disputes from state and local officials who oppose the federal presence in their city.
The U.S. Department of Justice initiated a civil rights investigation into Pretti’s shooting on Friday. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche announced the inquiry, stating investigators are “looking at everything that would shed light on what happened that day.” The FBI, along with Homeland Security Investigations, will oversee the investigation.
Minneapolis, Minnesota is currently in a legal battle with the administration over Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations in the city. A federal judge has ordered the government to submit a brief addressing the motives behind the enforcement effort by Wednesday. Both Mayor Jacob Frey and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz have requested federal immigration authorities to withdraw from their state.
After a discussion with Trump on Monday, Governor Walz asked for impartial investigations into the shootings involving federal agents. Tom Homan, Trump’s border czar, met with both Walz and Frey on Tuesday. In an exclusive interview with ABC News, Trump stated that the operations would be more relaxed in the future.
Trump also claimed that crime rates in Minnesota have decreased as a result of the federal operations.
The tension between Trump and ABC’s Scott escalated during an exclusive interview on Tuesday. Trump speculated without evidence that Representative Ilhan Omar staged an attack against herself at a town hall in Minneapolis. During the event, a man sprayed apple cider vinegar at Omar while she was at the podium.
The fatal shooting of Renee Good, a 37-year-old mother, by an ICE agent on January 7 had already incited protests in Minneapolis before Pretti’s killing further intensified the unrest. ICE officials insist their agent acted in self-defense, alleging Good used her vehicle as a weapon, a claim rejected by local officials like Mayor Frey.
The President’s confrontational interactions with reporters, particularly women and journalists of color, have been a consistent pattern throughout his political career. Scott, among other reporters who have questioned him on challenging topics, has faced public criticism from Trump.
The legal and political disputes over federal immigration enforcement in Minneapolis are expected to persist as the lawsuit progresses. The federal judge’s order for a government brief by Wednesday represents one of the various legal challenges to the administration’s immigration policies. Trump suggested that while operations in Minneapolis may eventually wind down, federal agents will persist enforcement efforts in other cities where local officials resist the federal presence.
