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Trump administration abandons "deny and attack" strategy, White House under pressure from Minneapolis killing

2026-01-27 19:09:26Kosova&Bota SHKRUAR NGA REDAKSIA VOX
Trump administration abandons "deny and attack" strategy, White House
Donald Trump

Anthony Zurcher – BBC

The Trump administration has quickly abandoned its usual "deny and attack" strategy, which it initially employed after the killing of Alex Pretti by federal agents in Minneapolis on Saturday morning, January 24.

Within 24 hours, as numerous videos of the incident began to circulate on social media, it became clear that the White House was in open conflict with public perception and with what Americans could see with their own eyes.

Since then, the administration, including the president himself, has changed its approach, attributing responsibility to Democrats and focusing less on the actions of the American nurse who was killed.

On the other hand, Democrats have increased criticism of the policy of mass deportations and the aggressive tactics of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), entering a political clash that could lead to another partial government shutdown on Friday.

On Monday morning, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche described the situation as a “powder keg.” Although he blamed Democrats, many on both sides of the American political spectrum agree that the current situation is extremely dangerous.

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

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said that Pretti intended to “cause harm” and was “carrying a weapon.” Border Patrol Commander Gregory Bovino said the situation appeared to be a case of an individual wanting to “cause maximum harm and massacre law enforcement.”

Senior presidential adviser Stephen Miller called Pretti a "potential assassin."

However, in a departure from the White House's usual practice of reacting harshly to criticism, spokeswoman Caroline Leavitt declined to repeat Miller's statements when asked if the president shared the same view. She said a full investigation would be conducted.

This was a significantly more restrained tone compared to the initial reaction after the shooting.

The first approach resembled that followed three weeks ago, when federal forces killed another Minneapolis resident, Renee Good, who was also described as a terrorist who had "weaponized" her vehicle to injure ICE agents.

As in the Good case, the federal government's version has been disputed by local authorities, eyewitnesses, and the victim's family.

Pretti's parents demanded that the truth come out, adding that "the disgusting lies told about our son by the administration are unacceptable and shameful."

Multiple videos from Saturday's incident refute many of the administration's initial claims. The footage shows Pretti filming ICE agents on his phone and helping a woman who was being pushed to the ground before they were both sprayed with tear gas. At no point is he seen holding a gun as he is being held down by agents.

The Department of Homeland Security alleges that Pretti had a 9mm semi-automatic pistol and two magazines of ammunition. Local police have confirmed that he was the legal owner of the weapon. Under Minnesota law, citizens can legally carry concealed weapons in public with the appropriate permit.

This time, the administration's initial narrative quickly became difficult to maintain.

“The public has lost patience,” said Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara, noting that his officers made hundreds of arrests of violent individuals last year without using firearms. “This situation is not sustainable.”

Even within Republican ranks, concern has begun to emerge. Vermont's Republican governor, Phil Scott, called the federal intervention in Minnesota "a complete failure of coordination, public safety practices, training and leadership." In the worst-case scenario, he said, it amounts to "deliberate intimidation and incitement of American citizens."

Republican Senator from Utah, John Curtis, criticized Noem's "premature" reaction, saying the statements were made "without knowing all the facts" and that it damaged confidence in the mission of law enforcement.

The chairs of the national security committees in the House of Representatives and Senate have announced that they will hold public hearings.

Since Sunday evening, there has been a noticeable shift in tone from the White House. Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins expressed condolences to the Pretti family. Trump called the death “tragic” in a post on Truth Social but attributed it to “the chaos caused by the Democrats,” a message echoed by Vice President J.D. Vance.

On Monday, Trump announced that he was sending “border czar” Tom Homan to Minnesota to lead enforcement efforts. Homan, who also managed deportations during Barack Obama’s administration, is seen as a more measured and politically cautious figure.

"Tom is fair and will report directly to me," Trump wrote.

Although this move does not necessarily imply a change in policy, it signals a shift in the way of communication, at a time when polls show that public opinion is becoming increasingly critical of the way the crackdown on immigration is being implemented.

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison told the BBC that Homan's involvement could open up a new channel of cooperation with the federal administration. Another sign of softening came when Trump announced he had spoken with Minnesota's Democratic governor, Tim Walz.

This represents a noticeable cooling of tones after weeks of harsh exchanges between the two leaders and could herald a de-escalation of the situation in Minnesota.

However, that may not be enough for Democrats in Washington. They have announced that they will block the funding package for the Department of Homeland Security, which could lead to a partial government shutdown as early as Friday evening.

“I will vote against any funding for DHS until stronger controls are in place to hold ICE accountable,” said Senator Brian Schatz of Hawaii. “These repeated incidents of violence are unlawful, unnecessary, and make us all less safe.”

This move also carries political risks for Democrats, who have previously pushed for a record government shutdown without achieving meaningful results.

Moreover, immigration and public order remain areas where they perform weakest in the polls.

Currently, both Republicans and Democrats are trying to manage a situation that has become extremely explosive.

At stake is public perception of Trump's immigration policy, a key political issue for the president and one of the factors that helped him return to the White House.


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