In a revealing interview with NBC News, former President Donald Trump made significant admissions about his administration's handling of public relations while maintaining support for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations. The discussion centred on the controversial deaths of two protesters in Minneapolis, Renee Good and Alex Pretti, during federal immigration enforcement actions.
Contradictory Statements on Fatal Shootings
Trump described both Good and Pretti as "no angels" but explicitly stated their shootings were not justified. "No, it should not have happened," he told NBC Nightly News anchor Tom Llamas. "It was a very sad incident, two incidents." This marked a departure from his administration's previous justifications, which had labelled Good's activities as "domestic terrorism" and claimed Pretti had "brandished" a firearm.
Unwavering Support for Law Enforcement
Despite this concession, Trump refused to fully retreat from his position, emphasising his continued backing for ICE's activities in Minneapolis. "He was not an angel, and she was not an angel," Trump reiterated. "Still, I'm not happy with what happened there. Nobody can be happy, and ICE wasn't happy either."
He reinforced his commitment to federal agents, stating: "But I'm always going to be with our great people of law enforcement. We have to back them. If we don't back them, we don't have a country."
Public Relations Failures Acknowledged
Trump attributed much of the public backlash against his administration's immigration crackdown to poor communication rather than policy substance. "What happens is that, I think we do a phenomenal job, but I don't think we're good at public relations," he admitted. The former president later suggested his administration could benefit from a "softer touch" regarding immigration policy implementation.
Partial Withdrawal from Minneapolis
Amid mounting pressure following the protesters' deaths, border czar Tom Homan confirmed ICE would partially withdraw from Minneapolis. Approximately 700 federal agents will leave the city, reducing the total number of operatives to around 2,000. This decision follows weeks of sustained protests against ICE's presence and tactics in the urban centre.
Shifting Public Opinion on ICE
The Minneapolis situation has dramatically altered American perceptions of ICE. A recent YouGov poll indicates 46 percent of Americans now support abolishing the federal agency, narrowly exceeding the 41 percent who continue to endorse its operations. This represents a substantial reversal from June 2024, when a CBS/YouGov survey found 62 percent of Americans supported deporting all undocumented immigrants.
The evolving public sentiment, combined with Trump's admissions about communication failures, highlights the complex challenges surrounding immigration enforcement and its presentation to the American public.
