By early Monday, it was clear to President Donald Trump that the crisis in Minneapolis was not fading — it was accelerating.
The killing of Alex Pretti, a U.S. citizen and ICU nurse with no criminal record, by federal immigration agents had triggered nationwide protests and intense scrutiny. The administration’s initial narrative began to unravel as videos surfaced showing Pretti pinned down when agents opened fire. Public outrage grew, and even Trump’s allies began to warn that the situation was slipping out of control.
Inside the White House, the concern was not just the shooting itself, but how it was playing on television.
Senior adviser Stephen Miller had publicly labeled Pretti a “terrorist” and urged officials, including Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, to describe him as an “assassin.” Those claims quickly collapsed under video evidence. The optics were damaging, and the protests were spreading.
Trump’s allies started offering blunt advice: send Tom Homan, the White House border czar, to Minneapolis.
The message reached Trump through multiple channels. On Monday morning alone, Fox & Friends co-host Brian Kilmeade repeated the recommendation three times on air. Less than half an hour later, Trump announced on social media that Homan was being dispatched to Minnesota — a rare admission that his usual approach was not working.
At the same time, Gregory Bovino, the Border Patrol official overseeing operations in Minneapolis and known for his aggressive tactics, was sidelined. Trump later acknowledged the decision in an interview, saying, “Maybe it wasn’t good here.”
While Trump did not repudiate his broader immigration agenda, the shift signaled an effort to soften the fallout. His press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, and Trump himself began dialing back earlier rhetoric. The president distanced himself from Miller’s comments and said he had spoken with Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, a Democrat he had harshly criticized just days earlier.
Behind the scenes, blame began to circulate. Miller suggested that agents on the ground may not have followed White House guidance on separating arrest teams from bystanders, saying officials were now evaluating why protocols may have failed.
Still, the core strategy remained intact. Homan, though viewed by allies as a stabilizing figure, has long supported Trump’s mass deportation campaign. His past record includes backing policies that led to family separations at the southern border.
By Monday afternoon, Trump and Homan met in the Oval Office. Though the meeting had already been scheduled, it effectively became a send-off. “Tom was on a plane within hours,” Leavitt said.
Trump’s reaction followed a familiar pattern. When political pressure becomes intense enough, he studies the coverage and adjusts — at least temporarily. According to Senator Lindsey Graham, Trump was frustrated that the Minneapolis images were overshadowing what he views as his strongest issue: immigration enforcement.
“He didn’t like what he was seeing on TV,” Graham said, adding that several allies urged him to change course.
Calls for de-escalation also came from outside politics. Apple CEO Tim Cook told employees it was time to calm tensions and said he shared that view with Trump.
Despite the rhetorical shift, critics remained unconvinced. Representative Bennie Thompson dismissed the leadership reshuffle as “musical chairs,” arguing that cosmetic changes would not address deeper issues.
Meanwhile, pressure mounted on Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. Democrats floated impeachment, and Republicans voiced concern. Noem requested a meeting with Trump, but the discussion — which also included talk of the White House ballroom and midterms — stopped short of a reckoning. Trump later said he was satisfied with her performance.
Even as the White House sought to turn the page, federal enforcement continued. Roughly 100 undocumented immigrants were arrested in Minneapolis on Monday alone, far exceeding previous daily averages.
And while Trump spoke of de-escalation, he continued to place blame on Pretti, calling the killing “a very unfortunate incident” and suggesting the victim was responsible for his own death.
For Trump, Minneapolis became a rare moment where the visuals, the outrage, and the political risk forced a recalibration — not of policy, but of presentation. Whether that will be enough to quiet the backlash remains an open question.
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