Minneapolis, United States. President Donald Trump said Alex Pretti, who was fatally shot by a federal agent during a confrontation in Minneapolis, should not have been carrying a gun or fully loaded magazines. The comments put Trump at odds with gun rights groups and some Republicans.
Trump comments on the shooting
Asked whether he agreed with administration officials who described Pretti as a domestic terrorist, Trump said he had not heard that characterization but added that Pretti “certainly shouldn’t have been carrying a gun.”
Speaking to reporters at an Iowa restaurant, Trump later said Pretti had a gun and “two fully loaded magazines,” adding, “That’s a lot of bad stuff,” while also calling the killing “very unfortunate.”
Incident details and political fallout
Pretti, a licensed concealed-weapons holder, was killed on Saturday by federal agents during an immigration enforcement operation in Minneapolis. The shooting drew broad criticism and prompted a White House-ordered leadership shakeup.
Bystander video of Pretti’s killing was widely shared and showed he never touched his gun before being shot, contradicting some Trump officials’ initial claims that he posed a threat to law enforcement.
Gun rights groups respond
Gun rights groups, including the National Rifle Association and Gun Owners of America, said Pretti was legally carrying a concealed gun.
Luis Valdes, a spokesman for Gun Owners of America, said that people can “walk around with a gun” and “peacefully protest while armed,” calling it an American tradition. Valdes said the group was not happy with Trump’s latest comments.
The National Rifle Association issued a statement on Tuesday evening after Trump’s comments in Iowa, posting on X that it believes “all law-abiding citizens have a right to keep and bear arms anywhere they have a legal right to be.”
Impact on Republican unity ahead of elections
Gun rights groups are among the Republican Party’s most loyal voting blocs, and Trump’s remarks and related administration statements have opened a rift ahead of midterm elections in November.
How do you think Trump’s comments will affect relations between Republican leaders and gun rights groups ahead of November’s midterms?