President Donald Trump has publicly defended a US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent involved in a fatal shooting in Minneapolis, labelling the incident an act of "self defence" despite widespread condemnation. The defence comes as protests have erupted in the city and the mayor has demanded the immediate withdrawal of a major immigration enforcement operation.
Trump's Characterisation of the Incident
On Wednesday, 7 January 2026, President Trump stated he had viewed footage of the shooting, in which an ICE agent fatally shot a woman as she drove away in her vehicle. In a written statement, the President described the video as "a horrible thing to watch." However, he proceeded to justify the agent's actions, claiming the woman who was shot was "very disorderly, obstructing and resisting."
Trump further alleged that the woman "violently, willfully, and viciously ran over the ICE Officer," concluding that the agent "seems to have shot her in self defense." His remarks also targeted another individual present, whom he described as "a professional agitator."
Minneapolis Leadership Condemns Trump's Narrative
The President's interpretation was met with fierce rebuttal from Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey. At a press conference, Frey, who has also seen the video, directly contradicted the administration's account. "Having seen the video myself, I want to tell everybody directly – that is bulls***," the Mayor stated bluntly.
Mayor Frey characterised the event as a case of an agent "recklessly using power, resulting in somebody dying." He called for the immediate departure of ICE from Minneapolis, where the agency is currently staging a large-scale immigration crackdown involving 2,000 agents.
Protests and Calls for Calm
The shooting and the subsequent political fallout have ignited significant unrest in the city. Demonstrations have broken out, with protestors rallying against both the fatal incident and the broader ICE operation. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz has appealed for peaceful demonstrations, urging calm with the statement, "We can't give them what they want."
The scene of the shooting, captured in an Associated Press image, showed a crashed vehicle marked by a bullet hole and blood stains, a stark visual testament to the violent confrontation that has now escalated into a major national controversy over immigration enforcement tactics.
