Trump Shifts Strategy Amid Controversy Over Minneapolis Shooting

Sat Jan 31 2026 17:29:58 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

In the wake of the shooting of nurse Alex Pretti, President Trump's administration alters its response from aggressive defense to blaming Democrats, as public backlash against federal policies intensifies.

Following the shooting of Alex Pretti by federal agents in Minneapolis, the Trump administration's immediate response has shifted dramatically. Initially employing a 'deny and attack' strategy, the administration is now redirecting blame toward the Democrats, realizing a disconnect with public sentiment. As videos of the incident circulate and criticism mounts, Trump has appointed Tom Homan to oversee law enforcement in Minnesota, signaling a potential change in policy amidst escalating political tensions.

The Trump administration has quickly abandoned its familiar deny and attack playbook after initially using it when federal agents shot dead Alex Pretti in Minneapolis on Saturday morning.

Within 24 hours, as various videos of the shooting circulated online, it became clear that the White House was out of step with public opinion.

Since then, the administration – and the president himself - have changed tack, blaming Democrats for what happened and focusing less on the actions of the American nurse who was killed.

Democrats, meanwhile, have increased their criticism of the president's mass deportation policy and the aggressive tactics of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), leaning into a political fight that could result in a new government shutdown on Friday.

On Monday morning, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche described the situation as a powder keg. While he blamed the Democrats, many on both sides of America's political divide will agree that the current situation is fraught with peril.

The initial administration response to Pretti's death was straightforward. The 37-year-old was portrayed as a domestic terrorist bent on bloodshed.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said that Pretti wished to inflict harm and was brandishing a weapon. US Border Patrol Commander Gregory Bovino said that it looks like a situation where an individual wanted to do maximum damage and massacre law enforcement.

Senior presidential adviser Stephen Miller called Pretti a would-be assassin.

This White House has typically been quick to push back when criticized. Deny and attack has long been a bedrock Trump strategy for handling adversity.

But, perhaps tellingly, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt refused to echo Miller's comments herself on Monday when pressed on whether the president agreed with his senior adviser. Instead, she said a full investigation would be carried out.

It was a notably more muted tone than that struck immediately after the shooting.

The initial response had echoed the path the administration took three weeks ago, when federal law enforcement shot and killed another Minneapolis resident. There has been significant pushback from local officials and eyewitnesses.

The situation reflects broader issues of public safety and trust in law enforcement that both parties may need to navigate carefully as they head into upcoming elections.