President Donald Trump on Tuesday criticized Alex Pretti, the Minneapolis man fatally shot by a federal agent, for carrying a handgun and extra ammunition, remarks that risk deepening a rare rift with gun rights groups and other Republicans.
Trump Doubles Down On Criticism Of Pretti
According to a Reuters report, Trump, asked in Iowa whether he agreed with top aides who have described Pretti as a domestic terrorist or assassin, said he had not heard those assessments but added that “certainly he shouldn’t have been carrying a gun.”
Speaking to reporters at a restaurant, Trump said, “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, a 37-year-old ICU nurse and licensed concealed-weapons holder, was killed Saturday during a federal immigration operation in Minneapolis. A bystander video widely shared online shows Pretti never touching his holstered gun before agents shot him, refuting early claims from some Trump officials that he posed an imminent threat.
Gun Rights Groups Condemn Remarks, Demand Answers
Gun rights groups, including the National Rifle Association and Gun Owners of America, say Pretti was lawfully armed and have demanded a full investigation. In comments to Reuters, Luis Valdes of Gun Owners of America said Americans “absolutely can peacefully protest while armed,” calling it a tradition dating back to the Boston Tea Party and saying the group was “not happy” with Trump’s remarks.
The pushback is striking because gun organizations are among the Republican Party’s most dependable allies. Trump’s comments, echoed by other administration officials who have argued that armed protesters bear responsibility for the risks they face, have opened an unusual breach months before the November midterm elections.
Rift With Allies Grows Ahead Of Midterms
Trump’s latest remarks on Tuesday also produced an unlikely moment of alignment between California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D), a staunch gun-control advocate, and the NRA, both of whom condemned the president’s stance. Newsom wrote on X that “nothing is sacred in Trump’s America — not the First Amendment, not the Second, not even life itself.”
The controversy comes as the White House faces mounting criticism over “Operation Metro Surge,” a Trump-ordered deportation drive in Minnesota. Earlier reports detail how the operation and broader immigration tactics have driven down public support for his enforcement agenda, even as some voters still back his border wall plans.
Image via Shutterstock/ Joey Sussman
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