White House distances Trump from ‘assassin’ remarks after Minneapolis protester’s killing as investigations widen

WASHINGTON — The White House moved to separate President Donald Trump from inflammatory descriptions used by top administration officials after a federal officer fatally shot Minneapolis protester Alex Pretti, an incident now at the center of several investigations and a growing political storm.

Press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Trump did not refer to Pretti as an “assassin,” pushing back after senior figures used language that critics say prejudged events still under review. The administration, she said, is awaiting findings from ongoing probes involving the Department of Homeland Security, the FBI and U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

The death occurred amid a large-scale immigration enforcement push in Minnesota that has drawn intense scrutiny from civil liberties groups, local officials and members of Congress. Video circulating online has fueled competing claims about what happened in the moments before the shooting and whether federal accounts match what protesters recorded.

The fallout has also exposed fractures inside Washington: allies of the president defended the broader enforcement effort, while some Republicans joined Democrats in calling for more transparency. Lawmakers including Sen. Rand Paul and Rep. Andrew Garbarino urged congressional hearings to examine rules of engagement and federal coordination with local agencies.

Meanwhile, federal authorities tightened restrictions around the operation, including limits on drone activity in areas where officers are deployed. The administration says thousands of immigration officers have been assigned to the effort, which has become a flashpoint in a national debate over enforcement tactics and oversight.

A federal judge is considering whether to pause the Minnesota operation after arguments that it raises serious constitutional questions. The case is being watched closely because it could set boundaries for future enforcement campaigns that blend immigration policing with broader public-safety operations.

Trump has argued the federal response is necessary and has criticized Democratic leaders for what he calls disorder. At the same time, the White House’s insistence that the president did not use the harshest labels signals a recognition that rhetoric can inflame tensions as investigators attempt to establish a clear timeline and responsibility.

For Minneapolis, the latest death has become a catalyst for new protests and renewed calls for accountability. For Washington, it is quickly turning into a test of how the administration manages a high-profile use-of-force case tied directly to its signature immigration agenda—one now being examined by investigators, courts and Congress at the same time.