President Donald Trump on Tuesday commented on the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti by a federal agent in Minneapolis, saying Pretti "certainly shouldn’t have been carrying a gun." The remarks, made while the president spoke to reporters at a restaurant in Iowa, put him at odds with gun rights groups and some members of his own party.
Asked whether he agreed with administration officials who had described Pretti as a domestic terrorist, Trump responded: "I haven’t heard that, but certainly shouldn’t have been carrying a gun." He later expanded on his view, saying: "He had a gun. I don’t like that. He had two fully loaded magazines. That’s a lot of bad stuff. And despite that, I’d say that’s...very unfortunate."
Pretti, who held a licensed concealed-weapons permit, was shot and killed on Saturday by federal agents conducting an immigration enforcement operation in Minneapolis. The episode has drawn broad criticism and led the White House to order a leadership shakeup related to the enforcement operation.
Gun rights organizations, including the National Rifle Association and Gun Owners of America, said Pretti was legally carrying a concealed firearm at the time of the shooting. Bystander video of the incident circulated widely and shows Pretti did not touch his gun before he was shot, footage that contradicted some initial statements by Trump administration officials who suggested he posed an imminent threat to law enforcement.
Luis Valdes, a spokesman for the Gun Owners of America, defended the legal right to carry firearms and to protest while armed, saying: "You absolutely can walk around with a gun, and you absolutely can peacefully protest while armed." Valdes linked the practice to longstanding American tradition, stating: "It’s an American historical tradition that dates all the way back to the Boston Tea Party." He added plainly, "We are not happy," in response to the president's comments.
Analysts and political observers have noted that gun rights groups represent a core segment of the Republican voting coalition. The president's remarks, along with other statements from administration officials, have created tensions within the party at a time when divisions ahead of the November midterm elections have become politically sensitive.
While in Iowa, Trump said his border czar, Tom Homan, had met with Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and was expected to meet with Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey later on Tuesday. The president was in the state greeting supporters before a scheduled speech on economic policy.
Context limitations: Details reported here are limited to statements and events described publicly by officials, administration spokespeople, gun rights groups, and bystander video referenced in those statements. This article does not introduce new facts beyond those provided in those accounts.