White House avoids Minneapolis tirade as signs suggest Trump backing down

January 26, 2026

TL;DR

Karoline Leavitt, White House press secretary, avoided victim-blaming in her statement about Alex Pretti's death.
Leavitt called Pretti's death a "tragedy" and stated the president wanted the investigation to proceed.
She refused to endorse Stephen Miller's description of Pretti as a "would-be assassin."
Leavitt mentioned a "constructive and productive conversation" between Trump and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz regarding border patrol agents.
The article suggests this is part of a pattern of Trump backing down from extreme stances, citing previous incidents involving Greenland and NATO.
Leavitt blamed Joe Biden, Minnesota Democratic leaders, and leftwing agitators for creating conditions that led to the tragedy, but not Pretti himself.
The press secretary expressed condolences, stating "nobody here at the White House... wants to see Americans hurt or killed."
The article speculates that Trump's potential shift is influenced by media coverage, the sympathetic profile of the victim (an ICU nurse), and internal party dissent.
Several Republican officials, including James Comer, Bill Cassidy, and Bill Huizenga, urged for specific actions regarding the shooting and ICE's role.
Public opinion polls indicate a majority of Americans believe ICE has overstepped, turning immigration into a political liability for Republicans.
The article contrasts Trump with more extreme figures like Steve Bannon and Stephen Miller, suggesting Trump has better political instincts.

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