President Donald Trump used a wide-ranging White House press appearance this week to again defend U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Addressing the fatal Minneapolis shooting of Renee Nicole Good while warning that federal intervention could escalate if unrest continues.
Trump appeared alongside White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt during the daily briefing on Tuesday, January 20, marking one year since his second inauguration.
His staff distributed a list of what they described as “365 wins” from his first year back in office, but the president spent much of the nearly hour-long exchange fielding questions on current flashpoints.
Including the economy, foreign policy, and the ongoing protests in Minneapolis.
Asked directly about the January 7 shooting of Good by an ICE agent — an incident that has fueled demonstrations and prompted Minnesota officials to call for ICE to leave the city — Trump acknowledged the death while firmly backing the agency.
“They’re going to make mistakes sometimes,” Trump said. “ICE is dealing with rough people. They’re going to make a mistake sometimes. It can happen.”
The president said he felt “horrible” upon learning of Good’s death, calling it a tragedy, but added that such incidents can occur during volatile encounters.
He also referenced Good’s family, saying he had been told her father was a strong supporter of his presidency.
Trump repeated claims that organized agitators were present at the scene of the shooting, focusing on a woman heard shouting during the chaos captured on video.
He described the behavior as “professional,” arguing that it did not reflect spontaneous grief but organized disruption.
“These are professional agitators,” Trump said. “Professional people that want to see our country do badly.”
The remarks echo earlier statements Trump made on his social media platform, Truth Social, where on January 15 he warned that he could invoke the Insurrection Act if Minnesota officials fail to control protests targeting ICE operations.
In that post, Trump accused state and city leaders of allowing unrest and pledged to protect what he called the “Patriots of ICE.”
Minnesota leaders, including Tim Walz and Jacob Frey, have pushed back, urging calm while questioning the continued federal presence in residential neighborhoods.
Trump’s comments on the case have varied in tone over recent days. In a January 13 interview with CBS News, he described Good as likely a “solid, wonderful person” under normal circumstances, while criticizing what he characterized as dangerous actions during the confrontation.
He also acknowledged that publicly released cellphone footage of the shooting could be interpreted in different ways.
“When you look at that tape, it can be viewed two ways,” Trump said at the time, adding that some versions of the footage appeared “very, very bad.”
As investigations and legal proceedings continue, the president’s latest remarks underscore how the Minneapolis shooting has become a national flashpoint.
Blending debates over immigration enforcement, protest rights, and the limits of federal force — with no sign that the political and public fallout is easing.
