Trump reflects on Renee Good's shooting, concedes ICE agents can be 'too rough'

WASHINGTON, DC: President Donald Trump made an unscheduled appearance at the White House press briefing on Tuesday, January 20, marking one year into his second term.

While the president highlighted milestones from his first 365 days back in office, the briefing quickly centered on his comments about the fatal shooting of Renee Good by a federal immigration officer in Minneapolis earlier this month.

In a departure from the administration’s earlier tone, Trump expressed sorrow over the incident. “It’s a hard situation,” he told reporters. “That’s so sad.”

The president expresses sorrow for Renee Good

Trump’s remarks contrasted with statements made by Vice President JD Vance and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem in the days following the shooting. Both officials had described Good as a “domestic t*******t” who intended to strike officers with her vehicle.

The president said that he felt “terrible” after learning that Good’s father was “a Trump fan.” He went further than previous public statements by acknowledging that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents are not infallible.

“Sometimes they make mistakes,” Trump said. “Sometimes they’re too rough with people.” 

Trump claims ICE demonstrators are ‘paid agitators’

Despite the softened tone toward Good, Trump remained combative about the protests against his immigration operations. He asserted that the demonstrations were being driven by “paid agitators” and “insurrectionists.”

“They’re paid,” Trump said. He referenced a viral video showing a woman shouting “Shame! Shame!” at the scene of an ICE shooting. “That’s not a normal person. That’s a professional,” he argued. “These are professional agitators and professional people who want to see our country do badly.”

The president did not provide evidence for the claim.

Trump cites 10,000 ICE arrests in Minnesota

Turning to Minnesota, Trump said ICE had apprehended 10,000 undocumented residents in the state during recent operations. He referred to all of those detained as “criminals,” though it remained unclear how many faced charges beyond immigration violations.

Trump sought to distinguish between violent offenders and others living in the country illegally.

“We have a lot of heart for people. They came in illegally but they’re good people and they’re working now in farms and they’re working in luncheonettes and hotels,” he said. “We’re looking to get the criminals out right now, the criminals.”

The comments came amid reports that complicate that framing. Over the weekend, the Associated Press reported that a US citizen without a criminal record was detained at gunpoint without a warrant during what the Department of Homeland Security described as a “targeted operation” aimed at abusers.

The president says Hells Angels 'voted for me'

In an aside during the briefing, Trump compared deportees to the Hells Angels motorcycle club, saying that those being removed make the group “look like the sweetest people on Earth.”

He then praised the gang. “I like the Hells Angels,” Trump said. “They voted for me. They protected me, actually.”

While former Hells Angels leader Chuck Zito appeared alongside Trump at a Manhattan courthouse last year, it remains unclear whether the group has ever been formally involved in providing security.