(Minneapolis) The “small de-escalation” promised by Donald Trump in Minneapolis, where a nurse was shot to death in an altercation with federal agents, seemed uncertain on Wednesday after harsh remarks from the president against his mayor.
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The city of some 400,000 inhabitants remains in shock over the death of Alex Pretti, 37, killed by agents of the American border police (CBP), after that of Renee Good, a mother of the same age on January 7, under the bullets of the immigration police (ICE).
And while the Republican administration seemed to want to calm a flammable situation, in the city as in the political mysteries of Washington, the president strongly attacked the city councilor of Minneapolis.
Jacob Frey said Tuesday on X that he “does not and will not enforce federal immigration laws.”
Threatening response from the Head of State on Wednesday, on his Truth Social platform: “Could someone (…) explain to him that this statement constitutes a very serious violation of the law and that he is PLAYING WITH FIRE”.
The situation is now being closely scrutinized by Washington’s traditional allies. “What I saw is obviously worrying,” declared British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, two days after comments from German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who considered the “level of violence” in the United States “worrying.”
“Potential assassin”
On Tuesday, Democratic MP of Somali origin, Ilhan Omar, was attacked during a public meeting. An individual rushed towards the elected official, brandishing a syringe filled with an unidentified foul-smelling liquid, before being overpowered.
Unscathed, this figure of the American left continued his speech, demanding to abolish the immigration police “once and for all” as well as the resignation of the Minister of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem.
PHOTO SHANNON STAPLETON, REUTERS
Law enforcement officers confront protesters during a demonstration outside the hotel where Greg Bovino, who was removed as commander in chief of the U.S. Border Patrol, is reportedly staying in Maple Grove, Minnesota, January 26, 2026.
The left opposes the deployment of federal agents responsible for arresting undocumented immigrants, as promised by Donald Trump. She denounces objectives contrary, according to her, to the principles of American democracy.
The freedom with which federal agents, often masked, act continues to worry. One of them was turned back while trying to enter the Ecuadorian consulate in Minneapolis, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of this country, an ally of Washington.
And a 34-year-old man was injured after an exchange of fire with CBP agents in Arizona, which borders Mexico, according to local authorities.
The vindictive remarks of the American billionaire contrast with the desire shown the day before to calm things down.
After describing Alex Pretti this weekend as a “potential assassin”, the very radical presidential advisor Stephen Miller said that the authorities were examining “the reasons why the (…) CBP team may not have followed protocol”.
The White House then backpedaled, insisting that he was referring to “general guidelines” for immigration officials, rather than Pretti’s death specifically.
“Paid insurgents”
In fact, videos analyzed by AFP and other media discredit the thesis according to which the nurse, who legally carried a weapon, threatened the police.
Read “Protester shot dead in Minneapolis: the video dissected”
Two police officers shot him, five seconds after an officer shouted “he has a gun!” », According to a preliminary report from the Department of Homeland Security sent to Congress and revealed by American media.
It is now Tom Homan, presidential envoy, who is leading the anti-migrant operation, after the departure of the very martial border police chief, Greg Bovino.
“Bovino is very good, but he’s a rather eccentric guy,” agreed Donald Trump on the Fox News channel. Before asserting, without proof, that the demonstrations in Minnesota had been infiltrated by “paid insurgents”.
The president therefore does not intend to change his policy. But local authorities continue the fight. A Minnesota judge must quickly rule on the state attorney general’s request to suspend the anti-immigration operation there.
Justice also blocked the expulsion of Liam Conejo Ramos, 5 years old, and his father of Ecuadorian origin, arrested last week. The photo of the frightened boy, blue hat with rabbit ears on his head, went viral.
