{"id":2552039,"date":"2026-01-26T00:25:02","date_gmt":"2026-01-26T05:25:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/trump-tight-lipped-on-whether-he-backs-agents-shooting-of-pretti-10\/"},"modified":"2026-01-26T00:26:36","modified_gmt":"2026-01-26T05:26:36","slug":"trump-tight-lipped-on-whether-he-backs-agents-shooting-of-pretti-10","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/trump-tight-lipped-on-whether-he-backs-agents-shooting-of-pretti-10\/","title":{"rendered":"Trump tight-lipped on whether he backs agents&#8217; shooting of Pretti"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">20<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Ftrump-tight-lipped-on-whether-he-backs-agents-shooting-of-pretti-10%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2552039&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>President Donald Trump declined to say whether he supports the Border Patrol agents who shot and killed 37-year-old Alex Pretti during a Minneapolis immigration operation, telling reporters his administration is \u201creviewing everything.\u201d He said he dislikes shootings but criticized Pretti for allegedly carrying a loaded handgun at the scene, echoing the department of Homeland Security\u2019s initial claim that Pretti posed a deadly threat. Bystander video, however, shows Pretti mostly holding a phone, briefly intervening between an agent and a woman, being pepper-sprayed and wrestled to the ground, and an agent removing a weapon from his waistband before he was shot \u2014 footage that calls portions of the federal account into question. The incident has <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/spanberger-leans-on-bill-nye-and-buttigieg-leading-to-election-day\/\" title=\"Spanberger leans on Bill Nye and Buttigieg, leading to Election Day\">prompted bipartisan backlash<\/a>, calls from some Republican members of Congress for an investigation and for federal agents to leave Minneapolis, and the reassignment of agents involved. Trump indicated some agents may eventually withdraw but said others would remain to pursue a separate Minnesota fraud probe he has tied to the case.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Trump tight-lipped on whether he backs agents&rsquo; decision to shoot Pretti<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_2482088\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>President <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"http:\/\/washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/donald-trump\">Donald Trump<\/a> dodged on whether he <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/trump-tight-lipped-on-whether-he-backs-agents-shooting-of-pretti\/\" title=\"... on whether he backs ...&#039; ... of ...\">supported federal agents&#038;rsquo<\/a>; decision to shoot and kill 37-year-old Alex Pretti in <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"http:\/\/washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/minneapolis\">Minneapolis<\/a> on Saturday during an immigration operation.<\/p>\n<p>Trump was <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.wsj.com\/politics\/policy\/trump-says-administration-is-reviewing-everything-about-minneapolis-shooting-a501f48e?gaa_at=eafs&amp;gaa_n=AWEtsqdNiGttdbhN0T_G8iXjU6j6zuyl0IlW323oqsnfouN2_8eW3Lt8nO99TVerkhI%3D&amp;gaa_ts=6976b499&amp;gaa_sig=JgivKV4jqIEYm6NvF3IbSLja3aEXHA9HA1jU9-ZcSKoII5nkRFf__Ao-j9-J1bWx9A4u75TmvouvHpHKcO7abw%3D%3D\">pressed<\/a> by <em>Wall Street Journal<\/em> reporter Josh Dawsey on whether Border Patrol agents responded appropriately when they killed Pretti, who briefly intervened when an agent pushed a woman to the ground during the operation. According to Dawsey, Trump twice did not answer the question, before saying his administration was &ldquo;reviewing everything.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<div class=\"recommended-stories\">\n<h2>Recommended Stories<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/white-house\/4432680\/trump-emergency-aid-10-states-winter-storm\/\">Trump approves emergency aid for 10 states ahead of winter storm<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/white-house\/4432546\/loyal-soldier-a-day-on-the-trail-with-jd-vance-trumps-human-swiss-army-knife\/\">&#8216;Loyal soldier&#8217;: A day on the trail with JD Vance, Trump&#8217;s &#8216;human Swiss Army Knife&#8217;<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/white-house\/4432618\/white-house-minnesota-democrats-inciting-insurrection-terrorist-tried-to-assassinate-officers\/\">White House says Minnesota Democrats are &#8216;inciting insurrection&#8217; after &#8216;terrorist tried to assassinate&#8217; officers<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>&ldquo;We&rsquo;re looking, we&rsquo;re reviewing everything and will come out with a determination,&rdquo; the president responded.<\/p>\n<p>Trump did express displeasure with the shooting as a whole, while remaining critical of Pretti&rsquo;s decision to open-carry a handgun while protesting.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;I don&rsquo;t like any shooting. I don&rsquo;t like it,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;But I don&rsquo;t like it when somebody goes into a protest and he&rsquo;s got a very powerful, fully-loaded gun with two magazines loaded up with bullets also. That doesn&rsquo;t play good either.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>The Department of Homeland Security said after the shooting that Pretti was armed with a &ldquo;<a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >9 mm semi-automatic handgun&#038;rdquo<\/a>; and likely &ldquo;wanted to do maximum damage and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/breaking-armed-illegal-wanted-for-assault-shot-by-border-patrol-in-minneapolis-after-attacking-officer-riots-follow\/\" title=\"Breaking: Armed Illegal Wanted for Assault ... By Border Patrol in ... After Attacking Officer, Riots Follow\">massacre law enforcement<\/a>.&rdquo; <\/p>\n<p>Trump appeared to stand by that account on Sunday, fixating on the gun itself and calling it &ldquo;dangerous and unpredictable&rdquo; and suggesting it could have fired unexpectedly.<\/p>\n<p>Bystander footage, however, has largely called that characterization into question. Pretti is seen holding just his cell phone during the entire encounter and only briefly steps between the agent and the woman, before being pepper-sprayed and later dragged to the ground by at least five agents. While he was armed, an agent appears to remove the weapon from Pretti&rsquo;s waistband and away from the scene just before he is shot dead.<\/p>\n<p>The shooting has led to backlash from both sides of the political spectrum, with multiple congressional Republicans <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/house\/4432964\/trump-gop-pushback-ice-fatal-shooting-minneapolis\/\">calling<\/a> for an investigation and the removal of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/democrats-across-u-s-take-bidens-lead-seek-to-ban-illegal-alien-term\/\" title=\"Democrats Across U.S. Take Biden&#039;s Lead, Seek to Ban &#039;Illegal Alien&#039; Term\">federal immigration agents<\/a> from Minneapolis.<\/p>\n<p><strong><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/immigration\/4432969\/border-patrol-agents-pretti-shooting-reassigned\/\">BORDER PATROL AGENTS INVOLVED IN PRETTI SHOOTING REASSIGNED<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Trump appeared open to that move in the <em>Wall Street Journal<\/em> interview, saying federal agents will leave the city &ldquo;at some point.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>He did, however, maintain that some agents would be staying indefinitely to continue investigating the Minnesota fraud scandal, which he has attempted to tie to the shooting by alleging a &ldquo;COVER UP&rdquo; by state lawmakers.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Trump noncommittal on agents&#8217; killing of Pretti<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3359,"featured_media":2552040,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/trump-tight-lipped-agents-shooting-pretti.jpg?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[57051,71445,71885,3634,67374],"class_list":["post-2552039","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-border-agents","tag-immigration-politics","tag-pretti-shooting","tag-trump","tag-use-of-force"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/trump-tight-lipped-agents-shooting-pretti.jpg?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2552039","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3359"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2552039"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2552039\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2552043,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2552039\/revisions\/2552043"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2552040"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2552039"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2552039"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2552039"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}