President Donald Trump has ordered a significant overhaul of his administration's immigration enforcement operation in Minnesota following public backlash over the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti, a U.S. citizen, by a Border Patrol agent, the second deadly incident involving federal officers in Minneapolis in recent weeks.
According to reporting by NBC News, Trump grew increasingly concerned that the scale and visibility of the federal operation had become politically damaging after video footage of the shooting appeared to contradict initial government statements that portrayed Pretti as an armed threat.
Pretti, a 37-year-old ICU nurse, was killed Saturday during a confrontation between federal agents and protesters opposing the administration's immigration crackdown. Senior officials initially claimed Pretti was "brandishing" a firearm and attempting to attack law enforcement, statements that drew swift criticism after eyewitness video emerged.
The backlash intensified scrutiny of the administration's approach in Minnesota, which was already under fire after an earlier ICE-related shooting killed Renée Nicole Good, another U.S. citizen.
In response, Trump moved Monday to replace the leadership overseeing the Minneapolis operation. Border Patrol commander Gregory Bovino, who had become the public face of the crackdown, is expected to leave the city this week. Trump announced that longtime border enforcement official Tom Homan will take charge of federal efforts in Minnesota.
Administration officials told The New York Times that the leadership change is part of a broader effort to reduce the federal footprint in Minneapolis, where more than 3,000 federal agents had been deployed, outnumbering the city's police force by nearly five to one at the height of the operation.
Trump allies acknowledged that the visuals of heavily armed agents confronting demonstrators, combined with sharply worded public statements from senior officials, had created a public relations crisis.
"The president understands perception," one Republican lawmaker familiar with internal discussions told NBC News. "He saw the video, and he knew this wasn't sustainable."
The White House has also moved to distance Trump from some of the most inflammatory early characterizations of Pretti. During a briefing Monday, press secretary Karoline Leavitt declined to back claims by top administration officials who labeled Pretti a "domestic terrorist," saying instead that the president wants investigators to determine the facts.
While Trump initially echoed claims that Pretti was armed, aides told Associated Press that the administration now recognizes that early messaging escalated tensions and undermined public trust.
At the same time, Trump has sought to de-escalate tensions with Minnesota's Democratic leadership. Over the weekend, White House chief of staff Susie Wiles spoke with Gov. Tim Walz, a frequent Trump critic and the Democratic vice-presidential nominee in 2024. Trump later described his own phone call with Walz as "very good," signaling a sharp shift in tone.
Walz's office confirmed the conversation, saying Trump agreed to discuss allowing state officials to conduct independent investigations into the shootings and to reduce the number of federal agents operating in Minnesota.
Trump also spoke by phone with Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, another outspoken critic of the administration's immigration tactics, calling the conversation productive.
The reshuffle comes amid growing concern among congressional Republicans that the Minneapolis situation could damage the party ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. Senate GOP leaders privately welcomed the leadership change, according to AP, viewing it as a necessary step to calm public outrage.
As part of a broader recalibration, administration officials say Trump wants enforcement efforts in Minnesota to focus more on fraud investigations rather than large-scale, highly visible street operations that have fueled protests.
Federal agencies have also adjusted their public messaging. ICE's social media accounts, typically used to highlight arrests, on Monday featured a post showing agents assisting a stranded motorist — a notable departure from recent hard-line imagery.
Officials insist the administration's immigration agenda remains intact. But Pretti's death has forced a strategic reset — one driven as much by political reality as by public outrage.
"This weekend changed things," one adviser told NBC News. "The mission hasn't changed, but the approach has to."
