The fatal shooting of Alex Pretti by a federal officer has triggered an unexpected backlash inside President Donald Trump’s political coalition, scrambling Republican messaging on the Second Amendment and complicating the administration’s hard-line immigration push.
Pretti is the second person killed this month by a federal officer in Minneapolis amid protests tied to immigration enforcement. Initial statements from administration officials suggested Pretti bore responsibility for his own death because he was lawfully carrying a firearm — a framing that drew swift criticism from gun-rights advocates and prominent Republicans.
As pressure mounted, the White House recalibrated. Press secretary Karoline Leavitt reaffirmed Trump’s support for the Second Amendment while warning that carrying a weapon during encounters with law enforcement increases the risk of force. The shift followed criticism of earlier remarks by senior officials who claimed Pretti had acted violently or posed a threat.
Bystander videos that circulated widely appeared to contradict those accounts, showing Pretti holding a cellphone and assisting a woman who had been pepper-sprayed before he himself was sprayed and taken to the ground. No footage released so far shows Pretti unholstering his concealed weapon, which he was licensed to carry under Minnesota law.
The episode prompted internal changes, with Trump dispatching border czar Tom Homan to Minnesota, effectively sidelining Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and Border Patrol chief Greg Bovino, who had overseen operations there.
Gun-rights groups that typically back Trump also pushed back. The National Rifle Association criticized suggestions that law enforcement is automatically justified in shooting someone who approaches while armed, calling such claims “dangerous and wrong.” Gun Owners of America likewise questioned the administration’s stance, noting that lawful carry at protests has long been defended by conservatives.
Republican officials drew parallels between First and Second Amendment protections, while Trump’s former vice president Mike Pence called for a “full and transparent investigation.”
The controversy has also revived accusations of partisan inconsistency. Conservatives who defended armed protesters in past incidents — including during the Jan. 6, 2021 Capitol attack and other high-profile cases — now face scrutiny over condemning Pretti, whose firearm remained holstered.
Legal scholars say the fallout highlights the tribal nature of the gun debate. “The moment someone perceived to be on the left asserts gun rights, those principles get abandoned,” said Adam Winkler.
With midterm elections approaching and Republicans defending narrow congressional margins, party strategists are wary. Gun-rights advocates warn that mixed messaging could alienate a core constituency, even as GOP leaders advance legislation expanding concealed-carry reciprocity nationwide.
For now, the Minneapolis shooting has not reshaped U.S. gun policy — but it has exposed deep fault lines within Trump’s coalition at a politically sensitive moment.
