Trump Criticizes Alex Pretti’s Loaded Gun as GOP Senators Reassert Protest Carry Rights
President Trump said there will be a "thorough investigation" into the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti, defended DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, and criticized Pretti for bringing a loaded gun to the protest — saying "you can't have guns" in that context and suggesting Pretti was not acting as an assassin. Several Republican senators (including John Thune, Ted Budd, Mike Crapo, Bill Cassidy, Thomas Massie and Jerry Moran) and gun‑rights groups pushed back, arguing that openly carrying firearms at protests is legally protected and that mere possession cannot alone justify lethal force, though some Republicans (e.g., Rep. Ralph Norman) sided with the administration’s warning about bringing guns into confrontations with law enforcement.
📌 Key Facts
- Federal agents killed two U.S. citizens, Alex Pretti and Renee Good, during a Minnesota ICE operation, making the Pretti case a focal point for a national investigation and political debate.
- President Trump called for a "thorough investigation" into Pretti’s killing, told PBS he did not believe Pretti was "acting as an assassin," and criticized Pretti for bringing a loaded gun to the protest—saying "You can't have guns. You can't walk in with guns"—while also saying DHS Secretary Kristi Noem "will not step down" and praising her performance.
- A group of Senate Republicans (including John Thune, Ted Budd, Mike Crapo, Bill Cassidy, Thomas Massie and Jerry Moran) and major gun‑rights organizations pushed back on the administration’s framing, saying carrying firearms at protests can be legal and constitutionally protected and that mere possession alone cannot justify lethal force; gun groups also disputed FBI Director Kash Patel’s interpretation of Minnesota law.
- Some Republicans, notably Rep. Ralph Norman, publicly supported Trump’s view that people should not carry guns into situations where they interfere with law‑enforcement operations, highlighting an intra‑GOP split on the issue.
- DHS officials, including Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin, warned of a "highly coordinated campaign" of violence against ICE in Minnesota, and the administration has adopted a defensive posture supporting DHS operations there.
- Sen. John Fetterman demanded that Trump fire Secretary Noem over the agent‑involved killings, urged the Minneapolis federal immigration operation be halted as "ungovernable and dangerous," but reiterated he opposes abolishing or defunding ICE and instead calls for targeted reforms and enforcement against criminals.
- The shootings have heightened broader political tensions over immigration enforcement: Rep. Shri Thanedar introduced a bill to abolish ICE, centrist groups like Third Way warned that "abolish ICE" is politically risky, and progressive organizations (e.g., the Working Families Party in PA) are preparing primary challenges—underscoring the partisan stakes around ICE and the Minnesota operations.
📰 Source Timeline (10)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
January 28, 2026
12:14 AM
Trump puts Republicans in a tough spot on gun rights
New information:
- Axios documents a series of explicit on‑record GOP reactions to Trump’s comments about Pretti’s gun — including Majority Leader John Thune stressing that carrying a loaded firearm at a Minnesota protest was legal and constitutionally protected.
- Several Republicans — Ted Budd, Mike Crapo, Bill Cassidy, Thomas Massie and Jerry Moran — publicly emphasize that mere possession of a firearm at a protest cannot by itself justify lethal force and that Second Amendment rights persist when exercising other rights like assembly and speech.
- Gun Owners of America and the Gun Owners Caucus of Minnesota issue statements arguing that 'peaceful protests while armed isn't radical' and that FBI Director Kash Patel’s statements about Minnesota gun law are 'completely incorrect,' underscoring friction between the administration’s narrative and core gun‑rights constituencies.
- Rep. Ralph Norman explicitly backs Trump’s line, saying people shouldn’t carry guns into situations where they’re interfering with law enforcement operations, highlighting an intra‑GOP divide rather than a unified defense of the president.
January 27, 2026
6:44 PM
WATCH: 'You can't have guns. You can't walk in with guns,' Trump says of Alex Pretti killing
New information:
- Trump told PBS he does not believe Alex Pretti was 'acting as an assassin,' a shift from earlier aides’ rhetoric portraying Pretti as a threat to agents.
- In the same exchange, Trump said, 'You can't have guns. You can't walk in with guns,' reiterating the administration’s view that Pretti should not have brought a legally carried handgun to the protest scene.
- Gun‑rights groups have publicly pushed back, stressing that carrying firearms at protests or while exercising First Amendment rights is legal and protected under the Second Amendment.
6:22 PM
Trump calls for Alex Pretti shooting investigation, says Noem will not step down
New information:
- Trump, speaking to reporters ahead of a trip to Clive, Iowa, explicitly said there will be a 'thorough investigation' into the latest fatal Minnesota shooting linked to federal agents, naming the Alex Pretti case as the focus.
- He publicly reiterated that Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem 'will not step down' despite mounting turmoil and political pressure over Minneapolis operations.
- The comments were delivered in an impromptu press gaggle format just before campaign travel, signaling the White House sees the Pretti case and Noem’s status as issues it must address directly on camera.
5:37 PM
Trump says Noem doing 'very good job,' won't step down as homeland security chief amid Minnesota shift
New information:
- Trump, asked by reporters at the White House if Kristi Noem will step down, said 'No' and added he believes she is doing a 'very good job,' citing her role in 'closing down the border.'
- The article notes this statement comes after federal agents killed two U.S. citizens in Minnesota this month and amid mounting criticism of DHS operations there.
- Fox pairs Trump’s backing of Noem with DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin’s separate warning about a 'highly coordinated campaign' of violence against ICE in Minnesota, underscoring the administration’s defensive posture.
2:01 PM
Fetterman demands Trump fire Noem after deadly Minnesota shootings
New information:
- Fetterman posted on X making a 'direct appeal' to President Trump to 'immediately fire' DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, accusing her of 'betraying DHS’s core mission' and 'trashing' Trump’s border‑security legacy.
- He explicitly tied his firing demand to the agent‑involved killings of U.S. citizens Alex Pretti and Renee Good in Minnesota, saying 'Ms. Good and Mr. Pretti should still be alive.'
- He reiterated in the same statement that the Minneapolis federal immigration operation 'should stand down and immediately end' as an 'ungovernable and dangerous urban theatre,' while again rejecting calls to abolish or defund ICE and endorsing deportation of criminal migrants and a path to citizenship for long‑time families.
3:44 AM
Fetterman opposes shutdown efforts as Democratic colleagues move to block ICE funding bill
New information:
- Fetterman tells Fox's 'Hannity' he will not support another government shutdown tied to DHS/ICE funding and says 'I remain to be one Democrat, at least, that refuses to shut our government down.'
- He explicitly warns that if Democrats vote to block the DHS bill, 'our entire military won't be paid again,' citing the damage from the November shutdown.
- He links his position to the recent shootings of Alex Pretti and Renee Good in Minneapolis, saying those deaths warrant debate and reforms to ICE tactics but not a shutdown.
- Fetterman reiterates on X and in the interview that he 'reject[s] the calls to defund or abolish ICE' while calling for 'common-sense reforms' to make operations safer, more humane, and focused on criminals.
January 17, 2026
5:18 PM
Fetterman's former progressive backer says he 'sold us out,' escalates efforts to primary Democrat senator
New information:
- Pennsylvania Working Families Party has launched PrimaryFetterman.com, paid for by the Working Families Party PAC, explicitly to 'defeat' Fetterman in a 2028 primary.
- The site asserts Fetterman 'has supported more of Trump's nominees than any Democratic Senator' and 'consistently skips votes and Senate work' and invites past donors to request refunds of contributions to his campaigns via a built tool.
- Working Families Party PA says it is training potential candidates, recruiting volunteers and soliciting donations for a primary challenge.
- Fetterman responded in November that any challenger would make him look like the reasonable, bipartisan option who can 'work with both sides.'
- The article reiterates this week’s Fetterman comments on X opposing 'abolish ICE' and backing secure borders and deporting criminals, and notes his CNN statement that he would 'sure, absolutely' support Trump taking military action in Iran if deemed necessary.
January 16, 2026
1:02 PM
Sen John Fetterman calls for Democrats to 'resist' advocacy of 'extreme' stances like abolishing ICE
New information:
- Sen. John Fetterman posted on X that 'the party must resist the destructive tendencies to push extreme positions,' explicitly criticizing calls to abolish ICE.
- In the same post, Fetterman called for 'Secure the border. Deport all the criminals. Stop targeting the hardworking migrants in our nation,' outlining his enforcement-focused stance.
- Article notes that Rep. Shri Thanedar, D-Mich., has introduced legislation that would abolish ICE effective 90 days after enactment.
- Fox recounts Fetterman’s July 2025 statements that 'ICE performs an important job for our country' and that calls to abolish the agency are 'inappropriate and outrageous,' plus his public support for ICE operations arresting child sex offenders in Houston.
January 15, 2026
4:07 PM
Democrats’ dilemma: Progressive push to 'Abolish ICE' sparks fresh divide in party
New information:
- Rep. Shri Thanedar said 'ICE is totally out of control' and announced he will introduce a bill this week to abolish ICE.
- Center‑left think tank Third Way circulated a memo warning Democrats that 'abolish ICE' is 'politically lethal' and could squander chances for immigration‑enforcement reform.
- Adam Jentleson of the Searchlight Institute publicly argued on social media that abolishing ICE 'is and always will be a political albatross' for Democrats, even if polling briefly bumps positive.
- The article recaps that Trump threatened to invoke the Insurrection Act in Minnesota if leaders do not stop what he called 'professional agitators and insurrectionists' from attacking ICE agents.
January 12, 2026