Trump Defends ICE, Accuses Democrats Of Fostering ‘Chaos’ After Minneapolis Shooting

Last Updated:January 26, 2026, 07:24 IST

Despite the backlash after the fatal shooting of a protester in Minneapolis, Trump doubled down, accusing Democrats of encouraging obstruction of law enforcement operations.

US President Donald Trump

US President Donald Trump on Monday blamed Democratic leaders for what he called “chaos" following the fatal shooting of a protester in Minneapolis by a federal immigration officer, while defending Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) amid mounting criticism of his immigration policies.

The killing of 37-year-old Alex Pretti during a protest sparked nationwide outrage and renewed scrutiny of Trump’s aggressive immigration crackdown, with some Republicans publicly urging a deeper investigation.

Despite the backlash, Trump doubled down, accusing Democrats of encouraging obstruction of law enforcement operations.

After staying largely silent for much of the day, Trump addressed the controversy in a series of lengthy posts on his Truth Social platform, alleging that Democratic officials had fostered unrest.

He urged Minnesota authorities to cooperate fully with federal immigration officers and to hand over individuals living in the US illegally.

“Tragically, two American citizens have lost their lives as a result of this Democrat-ensued chaos," Trump wrote.

The remarks came as Trump reaffirmed his promise to carry out what he has described as the largest deportation campaign in US history and defended the deployment of immigration officers to Democratic-led cities, a strategy that has unsettled some members of his own party.

In an interview with The Wall Street Journal, Trump said his administration was reviewing the shooting but stopped short of commenting on whether the officer involved acted appropriately.

“We’re looking, we’re reviewing everything and will come out with a determination," he said.

The White House did not respond to questions about whether Trump had viewed video footage of the incident, which appeared to conflict with official accounts, or whether he planned to speak with Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, who has called on federal leaders to help de-escalate tensions in Minneapolis.

Instead, Trump announced plans to push Congress to pass legislation banning so-called sanctuary cities, a term his administration has used for jurisdictions that limit cooperation with federal immigration enforcement.

His call for legislative action comes amid rising anger over the shooting and the looming threat of a partial government shutdown tied to disputes over immigration enforcement funding.

Trump’s first response to the shooting came several hours after it occurred on Saturday, when he questioned why Pretti was armed and accused Governor Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey of inciting unrest through what he called “dangerous" rhetoric.

Throughout the weekend, however, Trump made no public appearances related to the incident and expressed no public condolences.

As criticism intensified Sunday night, Trump returned to the issue, urging Walz and Frey to turn over undocumented immigrants held in state prisons or local jails, as well as those with arrest warrants or criminal records.

Trump said immigration officers would eventually leave Minneapolis but provided no timeline.

Administration officials, meanwhile, defended the officer’s actions, describing the incident, the second killing of a US citizen by immigration officers in Minneapolis in recent weeks, as a case of armed provocation.

Deputy White House Chief of Staff Stephen Miller alleged without evidence that Pretti had attempted to attack federal agents, calling him “an assassin" in a social media post.

Vice President JD Vance amplified those claims and blamed local Democratic officials, describing the unrest as “engineered chaos" driven by far-left agitators working with city authorities.

News world Trump Defends ICE, Accuses Democrats Of Fostering ‘Chaos’ After Minneapolis Shooting

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