Topline
President Donald Trump appeared to break with Second Amendment advocates who supported Alex Pretti’s legal gun carrying during protests in Minnesota on Saturday. reporters tell Tuesday: “You can’t walk in with guns” when asked about the fatal shooting of Pretti by a Border Patrol agent.
U.S. President Donald Trump addresses the media on the South Lawn as he leaves the White House on January 27, 2026 in Washington, DC.
Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
Key facts
“You can’t walk in with guns,” Trump said, adding, “You can’t do that,” before calling the Pretti shooting a “very unfortunate incident.”
Trump’s rhetoric was similar to that of Los Angeles-based federal prosecutor Bill Essayli, who tweeted this weekend: “If you approach law enforcement with a gun, chances are they are legally justified in shooting you.”
That prompted a response from the National Rifle Association, which called his comments “dangerous and wrong,” adding: “Responsible public voices should wait for a full investigation, not make generalizations and demonize law-abiding citizens.”
When asked if Pretti’s death was justified, Trump said he wanted to see a “very honorable and fair investigation” as Homeland Security Investigations has said it will investigate Pretti’s shooting despite twofold to call to action for a state-level investigation.
Trump, whose administration has called Pretti a “domestic terrorist” and “assassin,” said he loves Pretti’s family and that his death is “a very sad situation.”
Trump has not said he met Pretti’s family after his death, as the 37-year-old ICU nurse’s parents criticized the Trump administration in a Sunday statement saying their son was attacked by “Trump’s murderous and cowardly ICE thugs.”
Forbes has contacted the NRA for comment.
This is a development story. Check back for updates.
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