Fact Check: Did Trump admin refuse to release DHS bodycam footage of the Alex Pretti shooting?

WASHINGTON, DC: A viral claim circulating online alleges that the Trump administration refused to release DHS body-camera footage of the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti. According to reports, Pretti, a 37-year-old VA ICU nurse, was fatally shot by two US Border Patrol agents during an immigration enforcement encounter in Minneapolis on January 24, 2026.

Claim: Trump admin refused to release Alex Pretti body can footage 

Five months after the fatal shooting of US citizen Alex Pretti, the case continues to fuel political controversy online. A viral X post from the anti-MAGA account "Call to Activism" claimed that the Trump administration was refusing to release DHS body-camera footage of the January 24, 2026, shooting.

The post stated, "MAJOR BREAKING: The Trump Administration REFUSES to release the body cam footage of the shooting of Alex Pretti. Most transparent administration in history my ASS. Absolutely shameful."

The user shared the claim alongside a recent White House press briefing in which Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt addressed questions about releasing the footage.

The post quickly gained traction as debate over the shooting intensified. Pretti, a 37-year-old VA ICU nurse and licensed gun owner, died after two US Border Patrol agents shot him during an immigration enforcement encounter in Minneapolis.

The shooting has triggered a Department of Justice civil rights investigation, with the administration citing officer safety and critics accusing officials of using excessive force and withholding evidence.

Fact Check: Misleading

The claim is partially true but misleading. The Trump administration did not refuse to provide DHS body-camera footage to federal investigators. Instead, authorities preserved the recordings as part of ongoing federal investigations.

The viral claim included a video from the anti-MAGA X account Call to Activism showing White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt responding to questions about the Alex Pretti shooting. In the brief clip, a reporter asked, "Will the body camera footage be released to the public now?" Leavitt replied, "That's not something I've heard the President commit to, so I won't do that here."

Leavitt's response indicated that, as of June 2026, President Donald Trump had not committed to releasing the footage. However, she did not say that the administration would never release it. Her remarks reflected the administration's position at the time rather than an outright refusal.

As of now, DHS has not released the body-camera footage to the public or shared it with state and local investigators in Minnesota. Federal authorities have restricted access to the recordings while the FBI and DHS continue their civil rights and use-of-force investigations.