US President Donald Trump on Friday (January 30, 2026) reversed his conciliatory tone following outrage over the killings of two Americans in Minneapolis by federal agents, branding one of them, Alex Preti, an “inciter.”
Footage shared online this week reportedly showed Pretty, an intensive care nurse, scuffling with federal agents 11 days before she was shot dead by immigration enforcement officers on Saturday.
Editorial | Homicide Detective: Immigration enforcement, Minnesota shootings
The White House is scrambling to quell widespread outrage over Preeti’s killing, which comes weeks after fellow American citizen and mother of three Renee Goode was shot and killed by investigators in the same city.
Trump said he wanted to “de-escalate things a little bit” in the aftermath of the killings, appointing Border Patrol Commissioner Tom Homan as the new security chief for the city of Minneapolis. He said Thursday (Jan. 29) that some federal agents may be withdrawn from the city following weeks of protests over migrant raids.
On Friday, the US president said on the Truth Social platform that Preti, 37, is an “instigator and possibly an insurrectionist.”
Referring to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Trump wrote, “Alex Preti’s stock has plummeted after the just-released video of him screaming and spitting in the face of a very calm and disciplined ICE officer.”
The video reportedly shows Preti kicking the taillight of a federal agent’s car, and then the agent emerges and slams him to the ground.
AFP The footage could not be immediately confirmed.
government shutdown
Backlash over the deaths of Mr. Preti and Mr. Goode has spread to Congress, with the Senate set to vote Friday on a funding deal to avert a crisis-induced government shutdown.
Democrats are drawing a red line on funding for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), calling for its elimination and renegotiation to impose new constraints on immigration enforcement agencies.
Meanwhile, LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman called on more tech leaders on Thursday (January 29) to “speak out” against the Trump administration’s “overreach” following the murders that have affected the world.
“We in Silicon Valley can’t bow down to President Trump. We can’t back down and just hope the crisis subsides,” Hoffman said Thursday. San Francisco standard.
Trump held a Cabinet meeting that day, but the Minnesota riots were not discussed while reporters were present, and he did not call Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to speak to some officials.
Mr. Trump ordered Mr. Homan to report directly and sent Mr. Homan to Minnesota to lead immigration operations, effectively sidelining Mr. Noem.
Needs “improvement”
“Certain improvements can and should be made,” Homan said at his first news conference in Minnesota on Thursday, Jan. 29, a notable difference from his ousted predecessor, Greg Bovino.
Homan called on Minnesotans to avoid “hateful speech” against federal immigration officials.
He said officials are “working on a funding reduction plan” for some of the more than 3,000 federal employees participating in Operation Metro Surge.
For example, he said, one such measure would be to notify ICE officers of the release date of incarcerated immigrants who are considered “criminal public safety risks,” so they can take them into custody.
“This is common sense cooperation that can reduce the number of people here,” Homan said. Steven Gagner, 41, a Minneapolis jewelry designer and “citizen observer,” was skeptical about the drawdown.
“This administration has proven time and time again that it only lies to us and doesn’t actually hold itself or anyone else accountable,” he said. AFP.
The two employees involved in Preti’s shooting have been placed on administrative leave, and Homan said federal employees who violate standards of conduct “will be dealt with.”
issued – January 30, 2026 5:30 PM IST