Trump vows to "de-escalate a little bit" tensions in Minneapolis

President Donald Trump said Tuesday, Jan. 27, that his administration is going to "de-escalate a little bit" tensions in Minnesota following the fatal shootings of two civilians by federal agents, events that have intensified criticism of his immigration enforcement strategy. The Republican leader's remarks came during an interview with Fox News after his top border official, Tom Homan, traveled to Minneapolis to meet with local and state leaders amid growing scrutiny over federal immigration operations in the city. The visit came in the wake of the death of Alex Pretti, who was shot by immigration agents on Saturday in that city.

Trump acknowledged that Border Patrol Commander Gregory Bovino, who is known for his hard-line stance and is now expected to leave Minneapolis, may have contributed to the turmoil. The president described Bovino as "a pretty out-there kind of a guy" and even suggested that his presence may have agitated the situation a bit. "We're going to de-escalate a little bit," the president said, clarifying that the move did not amount to a rollback of his immigration agenda, adding that it was not a "pullback."

According to Trump, Homan - whom he described as having a less confrontational style - met Tuesday with Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, in an effort to stabilize the situation on the ground. The Republican leader also distanced himself from language used by top aides who called Pretti a murderer. "I want a very honorable and honest investigation," the president asserted. At the same time, he criticized Pretti for being armed during the encounter, despite acknowledging that the weapon had been removed before the shooting. "I don't like that he had a gun, I don't like that he had two fully loaded magazines," Trump said.