Trump fires back at left’s praise of Alex Pretti and Renee Good, says they were ‘not angels’

WASHINGTON, DC: President Donald Trump, in an exclusive one-on-one interview at the White House with anchor Tom Llamas, addressed several pressing national issues, including recent fatal encounters involving federal immigration officers in Minnesota.

During the conversation, Trump was asked about two separate shootings in Minneapolis involving Border Patrol and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents. Alex Pretti, an intensive care nurse, and Renee Nicole Good were both killed during encounters with federal agents weeks apart. Their deaths have fueled protests, online outrage, and renewed scrutiny of immigration enforcement tactics.

Trump responded by rejecting what he described as the left’s “idolization” of Pretti and Good, while maintaining that the incidents were tragic and should not have happened.

Trump responds to backlash over Minnesota shootings

Trump pushed back against criticism during his sit-down interview with NBC News on Wednesday, February 4, when asked about comments he previously made suggesting ICE had made mistakes following the shooting of Renee Good.

“Well, look. I’m not happy with the two incidents. It’s not, you know, it’s both of them, not one or the other. He was not an angel, and she was not an angel,” Trump said. “You know, you look at some tapes from back, but still, I’m not happy with what happened there.”

He added that no one involved in federal law enforcement celebrated the outcome.

“Nobody could be happy, and ICE wasn’t happy either. But I’m gonna always be with our great people of law enforcement, ICE, and police. We have to back them. If we don’t back them, we don’t have a country,” Trump said.

Trump appeared to reference both victims again, saying, “You mentioned Renee Good, and you know, Alex Pretti’s not being angels.”

When pressed on whether any of the violence was justified, Trump answered, “No, it should not have happened. It was very sad to me; it was a very sad incident. Two incidents.”

Trump defends ICE and Border Patrol actions

The president went on to describe the difficult conditions faced by immigration agents and law enforcement officers on the ground.

“You know who feels worse about it than anybody? The people of ICE. They’re strong, tough people, and they have to be tough because we’re dealing with hardened criminals,” Trump said. “We’re dealing with people, you know, jails have been emptied into our country from all over the world.”

He argued that without aggressive enforcement, the federal government would be unable to remove dangerous individuals.

“If we don’t have strong people, you’re not getting them out. Yeah, we’re getting them out,” Trump added.

Minnesota incidents trigger protests and political fallout

The fatal shootings of Pretti and Good sent shockwaves through Minnesota and beyond. Vigils, protests, and demonstrations erupted in Minneapolis and later spread to other major cities, including New York.

Clips of the encounters and commentary surrounding the shootings circulated widely on social media, intensifying political debate over immigration enforcement, use of force, and accountability.

Several national figures weighed in on the incidents, keeping them at the center of public discussion as investigations continue and pressure mounts on federal agencies.