President Trump moved swiftly to shape the public narrative surrounding the death of Alex Pretti, declaring that the Minneapolis man’s “stock has gone way down” after newly released video showed him aggressively confronting federal immigration officers days before his fatal encounter with border agents.
The footage, which circulated widely online, depicts Pretti screaming, spitting at officers, and violently damaging a government vehicle—behavior Trump seized upon as evidence that Pretti was not the passive figure some had portrayed in the aftermath of his death.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump described Pretti as an “agitator and, perhaps, insurrectionist,” pointing to the video as proof of what he characterized as uncontrolled rage.
The president emphasized the contrast between Pretti’s actions and the demeanor of the ICE officer involved, praising the agent as “calm and cool” under provocation. Trump highlighted the moment Pretti kicked the rear taillight of a black federal SUV with enough force to shatter it, calling the act a “display of abuse and anger” visible to anyone watching the footage.
The video, dated January 13, shows Pretti, then 37, confronting federal agents as they attempted to leave an area surrounded by anti-immigration enforcement protesters. Wearing clothing similar to what he had on when he was killed 11 days later, Pretti appears to spit toward one of the officers as they enter the vehicle.
As the SUV begins to pull away, he swings his leg and strikes the taillight, breaking it apart. At the time, Pretti worked as an ICU nurse, a detail that later became part of the public debate over his death.
Pretti was killed during a struggle with border enforcement officers after they discovered a loaded Sig Sauer pistol in his waistband. Authorities say that after the weapon was removed from him, a round may have discharged, possibly from Pretti’s own firearm, prompting agents to open fire.
At least ten shots were fired while Pretti was pinned to the ground. The Department of Homeland Security has since placed the two agents involved on administrative leave pending further investigation.
As investigations continue, the release of the video has added a new and volatile dimension to an already polarizing case, reshaping public perception and intensifying debate over protest, enforcement, and accountability.
