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White House distances Trump from aides’ comments after Minnesota protester killing

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Demonstrators participate in a rally and march during an "ICE Out” day of protest on January 23, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Community leaders, faith leaders and labor unions have urged Minnesotans to participate in what they are calling a "day of action" as hundreds of local businesses are expected to close during a statewide general strike held in protest against immigration enforcement operations in the region. (Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images)
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The White House made an effort to distance U.S. President Donald Trump from comments made by several members of his administration that criminalized Minneapolis protester Alex Pretti, who was shot and killed Saturday by a border patrol officer.

In the immediate aftermath of Pretti’s killing, the Deputy White House Chief of Staff labeled the protester “an assassin” who “tried to murder federal agents.” When asked about the comment during a briefing, the Press Secretary stressed that Trump hadn’t used such words. Karoline Leavitt also said she had “not heard the President characterize” Pretti as a domestic terrorist, a label Kristi Noem used a day earlier.

A warning for viewers, the images in this story are disturbing.

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