In the days since federal agents fatally shot 37-year-old ICU nurse Alex Pretti in Minneapolis, the White House has sharply shifted its public posture after initially promoting a version of events now widely contradicted by video evidence. What began as strong assertions by administration officials that Pretti posed a violent threat and even acted as a “domestic terrorist” unfolded into a more cautious tone from the White House amid mounting backlash from across the political spectrum.
Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary.
Soon after Pretti’s death during a federal operation, senior figures in the administration painted him as a serious threat to law enforcement. Stephen Miller, a senior White House adviser, described him as someone who had tried to “assassinate” officers. At the same time, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem labeled the killing a case of domestic terrorism and suggested he had approached agents with a weapon. A Border Patrol commander also suggested Pretti intended to massacre law enforcement. Those characterizations were repeated in White House statements before thorough investigations had taken place.
But video footage captured by bystanders and verified by multiple news outlets shows a markedly different sequence: Pretti appears to be holding a cellphone, not brandishing a gun, and was tackled to the ground by agents before being shot multiple times. At least one clip shows an agent removing a firearm from Pretti’s waistband before shots were fired. That footage directly contradicts earlier claims that he presented an imminent threat with a weapon in hand, prompting critics to condemn the administration’s narrative as misleading.
As bipartisan criticism grew — including from conservative lawmakers and gun rights groups unsettled by the initial portrayal — the White House adjusted its message. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the president did not want to see people hurt on U.S. streets and emphasized that factual and investigative processes should lead the public understanding of the incident, rather than early statements made in the hours after the shooting. Officials also sought to emphasize cooperation with Minnesota leaders and a willingness to support an independent state investigation.
The political and public fallout has been intense. Prominent voices from both parties have called for transparency and accountability, and protests have continued in Minneapolis. Republicans as well as Democrats have expressed discomfort with how the shooting was described before more complete evidence was available. Meanwhile, Pretti’s family and supporters have condemned the early official narrative as a distortion of the facts and urged authorities to focus on the truth rather than political defense.
