Jesse Ventura criticizes Trump, hints at political comeback after Minneapolis ICE shooting

MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA: Former Minnesota Governor Jesse Ventura sharply criticised President Donald Trump this week, using unusually blunt language while suggesting that he might consider a return to state politics amid heightened tensions over federal immigration enforcement in Minnesota.

Ventura, 74, made the remarks during a visit to Roosevelt High School in Minneapolis, his alma mater, following an Immigration and Customs Enforcement operation at the school earlier that day.

His comments also came after the fatal shooting of 37-year-old Renee Good during a separate ICE-related incident elsewhere in the city, events that have intensified local and national scrutiny of federal enforcement actions.

Jesse Ventura floats possible political comeback amid unrest

Speaking to local outlet Fox 9 on Thursday, January 8, Ventura said that the current political climate prompted him to reconsider his long-standing retirement from elected office. Ventura served a single term as governor from 1999 to 2003 after winning as a Reform Party candidate.

“You know what? Maybe it’s time for Jesse - I only did one term - I’m owed a second,” Ventura said when asked whether he would consider running again.

Ventura told reporters that he had been content living outside of politics until recent events drew him back into public debate.

“Here I was leading a nice, quiet life, and now you’ve injected me back in here and are probably gonna make me the governor of Minnesota again,” he said, framing the possibility as a reaction to federal actions rather than a planned campaign.

No formal announcement or campaign infrastructure has been launched, and Ventura did not provide a timeline or clarify whether he would seek office as an independent or align with a political party.

Jesse Ventura criticizes GOP for undermining constitutional principles

Ventura directed broader criticism at the Republican Party, arguing that recent actions by GOP leaders undermined constitutional principles.

While reiterating past criticisms of both major parties, he focused on Republican leadership and the aftermath of the January 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol.

“Freedom is not arresting people without warrants. We have a system here, it’s called a Constitution,” Ventura said. He added that Republicans “don’t seem to want to abide by the Constitution,” citing January 6 as a defining example.

Ventura referenced the current political landscape following Trump’s return to office, stating that individuals involved in the Capitol riot were now “free” while Republicans held institutional power. 

Jesse Ventura attacks Trump's military record

Ventura, a Vietnam War veteran discussed Trump’s military deferments during the Vietnam era. He declined to refer to the president by name while criticizing what he described as unequal standards of service.

“You mean the draft-dodging coward?” Ventura said when Trump was mentioned. “I don’t call him by name.”

Ventura contrasted Trump’s deferments with his own service, stating that he spent 17 months in Southeast Asia.

He argued that socioeconomic status played a role in who ultimately served during the war. “Most of my friends are Vietnam veterans. We had to go. But the rich white boys never had to go,” Ventura claimed.

Trump had previously said that his deferments were legal and consistent with the rules in place at the time.

Jesse Ventura criticizes federal agents' presence in Minneapolis

Ventura also condemned the visible presence of federal agents in Minneapolis neighborhoods, arguing that such deployments resembled conditions found in unstable nations.

“You know how I know we’re a third-world country? Because in third-world countries, they have the military doing their police work in the cities,” he said, referring to heavily armed federal officers conducting immigration operations.

He voiced support for current Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, who had publicly pushed back against federal enforcement actions in the state.

Ventura reiterated that Minnesota did not require federal agents to police local communities, again emphasizing constitutional protections.