Trump on Noem: Doing ‘very good job,’ won’t step down amid Minnesota shift
Trump gaggle: Minneapolis shooting, Homan & more
President Trump spoke to media before heading to the Iowa. The president speaking on the latest Minneapolis shooting that claimed the life of Alex Pretti, Tom Homan's arrival to Minneapolis, Kristi Noem's future and more.
President Donald Trump on Tuesday said Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem wouldn’t be stepping down amid the fallout in Minnesota after a second fatal shooting involving federal agents.
He was asked by reporters outside the White House if Noem would be stepping down, and he had a one-word answer: "No."
He told the press that he still thinks Noem is doing a "very good job."
FILE - Former US President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump attending a town hall, moderated by South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem, at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center and Fairgrounds in Oaks, Pennsylvania, on October 14, 2024. (
Big picture view:
Democrats in Congress have called for Noem’s exit after federal agents fatally shot two people in Minneapolis protesting immigration enforcement actions.
Alex Pretti shooting Minneapolis
What they're saying:
The president was asked as he left the White House on Tuesday whether he thought Pretti’s killing was justified and he responded by saying that a "big investigation" was underway.
"I want to see the investigation. I’m going to be watching over it, and I want a very honorable and honest investigation. I have to see it myself," he said.
He was also asked about Pretti’s family and said in response, he said: "I love everybody. I love all of our people. I love his family. And it’s a very sad situation."
The backstory:
In the hours after Pretti's killing, top Trump officials including Noem were quick to cast Pretti as an instigator who "approached" officers with a gun and acted violently. But videos from the scene show Pretti being pushed by an officer before a half-dozen agents descend on him.
RELATED: Minneapolis shooting: Video shows Border Patrol agent fatally shoot man
During the scuffle, he held a phone but is never seen brandishing the 9mm semiautomatic handgun police say he was licensed to carry. The administration has said investigations are ongoing, though information hasn't yet emerged to support some of the provocative initial claims.
Meanwhile:
Trump sent his border czar Tom Homan to Minneapolis and said on Tuesday that Homan was meeting with both the mayor and Minnesota governor.
Some federal agents, including acting Border Patrol commander Greg Bovino, were expected to begin leaving Minnesota.
READ MORE: Who is Greg Bovino? Border Patrol’s acting commander seen in city sweeps
The Source: Information in this article was taken from President Trump’s public remarks to reporters outside the White House on Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2026. Background information was taken from previous FOX Television Station and FOX 9 Minneapolis reportings, and The Associated Press. This story was reported from Detroit.