Walz: Trump May Cut Federal Agent Presence in Minnesota/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ After a federal officer fatally shot ICU nurse Alex Pretti, President Trump said he had a productive call with Gov. Tim Walz. Trump is deploying border czar Tom Homan to Minnesota. Tensions remain high amid protests and calls for accountability. Gov. Walz said President Trump agreed to consider reducing federal agents in Minnesota. The two leaders discussed cooperation following a fatal Border Patrol shooting in Minneapolis. Trump also pledged to consult DHS about state-led investigations.
Minneapolis Tensions & Federal Response Quick Looks
- Trump and Gov. Walz spoke Monday, signaling willingness to cooperate.
- Trump said they were “on a similar wavelength.”
- ICU nurse Alex Pretti, 37, was fatally shot by Border Patrol Saturday.
- Federal officials say Pretti was armed; witnesses dispute the claim.
- Trump is sending border czar Tom Homan to lead operations in Minnesota.
- Homan will coordinate ICE efforts and fraud investigations.
- Minneapolis protests intensified after the shooting and prior ICE-related death.
- Business leaders signed letter urging de-escalation, but avoided naming immigration.
- White House previously accused Walz and Frey of inciting unrest.
- The administration is reviewing the incident, but hasn’t confirmed the shooting’s justification.
- Gov. Tim Walz spoke with Trump Monday morning by phone.
- Walz says Trump agreed to review agent levels in Minnesota.
- Discussion followed the fatal shooting of a Minneapolis nurse by a federal officer.
- Trump pledged to speak with DHS about state-led investigations.
- Walz requested independent probes of federal-involved shootings.
- Trump previously demanded more state cooperation on immigration enforcement.
- Walz reminded Trump that MN Corrections already honors ICE detainers.
- Both sides described the call as “productive” and “good.”
- It marked a tone shift after weeks of sharp rhetoric.
- Focus is now on coordination around immigration and public safety.
Deep Look: Trump: Walz Called to ‘Work Together,’ We Are ‘On a Similar Wavelength’
Minneapolis, MN — President Donald Trump said Monday he had a “very good” and “productive” phone call with Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, as tensions escalate in Minneapolis following the fatal shooting of ICU nurse Alex Pretti by a federal immigration officer.
Trump revealed the conversation on Truth Social, stating that Walz reached out with a request to collaborate in managing unrest and federal law enforcement activity in the state.
“It was a very good call, and we, actually, seemed to be on a similar wavelength,” Trump wrote. “I told Governor Walz that I would have Tom Homan call him.”
Trump added that Walz was “happy” about the plan to deploy border czar Tom Homan, who will manage ICE operations and lead fraud investigations in the state. Homan is expected to arrive in Minnesota by Monday night.
The two leaders spoke by phone Monday morning amid intensifying tensions in Minneapolis following the fatal shooting of ICU nurse Alex Pretti by a U.S. Border Patrol officer. Both Walz and Trump described the conversation as productive, signaling a surprising shift in tone from the administration’s prior confrontational stance toward Minnesota officials.
“I emphasized the need for impartial investigations into the shootings involving federal agents,” Walz said in a statement. “I also urged the president to scale back the number of agents deployed to our state.”
According to the full readout from Walz’s office, Trump agreed to speak with DHS officials about ensuring the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) is allowed to conduct independent investigations, which is standard procedure for in-state use-of-force incidents.
A Surprising Tone Shift
Trump, who in recent weeks has accused Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey of enabling unrest and refusing to cooperate with federal law enforcement, appeared more conciliatory in this call. Walz said the president even agreed to review federal force deployment levels and work toward a more coordinated immigration enforcement strategy with the state—specifically targeting violent offenders.
In contrast to past demands, Trump did not push for a blanket increase in agents, instead showing interest in refining strategy and response in light of growing protests and concerns over federal actions.
State Pushback and Ongoing Cooperation
The Trump administration has repeatedly called on Minnesota leaders to “turn over” all undocumented immigrants held in state custody. But Walz pushed back, noting that the Minnesota Department of Corrections already complies with ICE detainer requests.
“We notify ICE when individuals in our custody are not U.S. citizens,” Walz’s office confirmed.
The fatal shooting of Pretti followed an earlier ICE-related death on January 7 and has intensified calls for transparency in how immigration enforcement is conducted in urban communities. Protests erupted over the weekend, prompting state and federal leaders to seek a more tempered response.
Fallout From Fatal Shooting of Alex Pretti
The president’s call with Walz came amid intensifying public outrage after Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old nurse, was shot and killed by a U.S. Border Patrol agent in Minneapolis on Saturday.
Federal authorities claimed Pretti was armed with a 9mm handgun and resisted arrest. However, witnesses and local activists question whether he posed any threat, sparking widespread protests over the weekend.
Protesters clashed with law enforcement outside hotels believed to be housing federal agents, and organized demonstrations continued through Sunday night.
The incident follows the Jan. 7 fatal ICE shooting of Renee Good, which also led to national backlash. Critics, including Democrats and immigrant rights groups, have labeled these shootings part of a pattern of “excessive force” by federal agents.
Trump-Walz Dynamic Shows Shift
Trump’s latest tone marked a notable shift in rhetoric toward Walz, whom he has previously blamed for “failing to control chaos” in Minneapolis. In early January, Trump’s administration accused both Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey of enabling disorder through inflammatory rhetoric.
Still, Trump emphasized a hopeful outlook:
“We have had such tremendous SUCCESS in Washington, D.C., Memphis, Tennessee, and New Orleans, Louisiana… Even in Minnesota, crime is way down, but both Governor Walz and I want to make it better!”
The president’s call came just one day after White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt accused Walz of spreading “malicious lies” about federal officers and “placing targets on their backs.”
Business and Political Leaders Urge Calm
In response to the unrest, more than 60 CEOs from Minnesota-based corporations, including Target, Best Buy, and UnitedHealth, signed a public letter urging de-escalation. The letter, however, did not directly mention immigration enforcement or federal raids.
Incoming Target CEO Michael Fiddelke was among the signatories, a move that drew mixed reactions. Activists have demanded clearer stances from corporations, especially those whose stores or parking lots have become locations for federal enforcement activity.
Protest group “ICE Out of Minnesota” has called out companies like Home Depot and Hilton, accusing them of complicity or silence.
Federal Oversight Intensifies
Tom Homan’s deployment marks a tightening of federal control in Minnesota, with the former ICE director now tasked with overseeing operations on the ground. The administration has linked Homan’s arrival to ongoing fraud investigations, referencing earlier cases that prompted the deployment of more federal officers in January.
Trump has also used the unrest to reiterate demands for cooperation from Democratic officials. On Sunday, he posted a call to action for governors and mayors to enforce federal laws “rather than stoke division and violence.”
“Jacob Frey and Tim Walz have whipped these rioters into a frenzy,” said White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson earlier this month.
As the Trump administration continues to enforce its aggressive immigration and public safety strategy, the situation in Minneapolis may become a bellwether for how future federal-local collaboration — or confrontation — unfolds in cities experiencing protest-driven unrest.
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