Tomi Lahren urges Trump to 'consider Insurrection Act' after Minneapolis shooting

WASHINGTON, DC: Fox News host Tomi Lahren publicly stated that she hopes President Donald Trump will consider invoking the 'Insurrection Act' in response to civil unrest in Minneapolis following a deadly shooting.

Lahren made these remarks on 'The Big Weekend Show', during a discussion of the unrest in Minneapolis that followed the fatal shooting of 37-year-old protester Alex Pretti who was killed by Federal agents while demonstrating against Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol operations. The episode aired on Saturday, January 24.

Tomi Lahren’s comments on Minneapolis unrest and Insurrection Act

Lahren, known for co-hosting 'The Big Weekend Show', said she hopes Trump will “consider the Insurrection Act” to restore order in Minneapolis. Lahren expressed what she described as mixed emotions after the shooting incident.

On the one hand, Lahren expressed a desire for Trump to “leave Minneapolis to its own devices” and permit the city to be “overwhelmed by illegals and fraudsters.” That would align with the demands of Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey.

Following the shooting, they publicly called on the Trump administration to remove federal immigration agents from the city. But Lahren on the other hand said, “No, you need to make sure we have order and restore order in this country.”

Lahren emphasized that “This is not 2020,” referencing the protests and riots after George Floyd’s death and called for a reset of precedent by possibly invoking the Insurrection Act if things worsen.

She and her co-hosts later checked in with Fox reporter Steve Harrigan for updates from the streets. Harrigan reported that the tear gas used by agents seemed “completely ineffective” and contributed to “more turmoil.” 

He also said there was “a lot of hatred on the street” among protesters still out in freezing temperatures. The fatal shooting sparked renewed protests against immigration crackdowns in cities nationwide, from rallies in New York where demonstrators held signs calling for the abolition of ICE to a candlelight vigil in Los Angeles. 

Critics question DHS narrative on Alex Pretti shooting 

The Department of Homeland Security said that during the operation, Pretti approached Border Patrol officers with a "9 mm handgun" and that agents attempted to disarm him, but he “violently resisted.”

According to DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, Border Patrol agents then “fired defensive shots” to protect themselves from Pretti and prevent him from allegedly intending to “kill law enforcement” with the weapon.

Critics quickly challenged this account, noting that footage of the incident appeared to differ from Noem’s description. CNN anchor Jake Tapper posted the video of the shooting in response to Noem’s comments and questioned whether her account aligned with what the footage showed.

Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara said Pretti was a local resident and described him as a “lawful gun owner” with a permit to carry. Noem addressed the contradictions during a press conference on Saturday night, saying, “I don’t know of any peaceful protester that shows up with a gun and ammunition rather than a sign.”

The Insurrection Act itself, while rarely used, allows the president to deploy military forces domestically to quell significant civil disorder.