President Donald Trump held nearly two hours of late-night talks with Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem as his administration faced mounting backlash over federal immigration enforcement in Minneapolis following the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti.
The meeting, requested by Noem and held in the Oval Office on Monday, came as conflicting reports circulated about her standing and as protests, political pressure, and investigative scrutiny intensified.
According to officials familiar with the discussion, Trump did not threaten Noem’s job during the meeting, which also included senior aide Corey Lewandowski and top White House officials.
The talks focused instead on how to proceed with the president’s immigration agenda in Minnesota amid national outrage, including criticism from some Republicans.
The administration has been under pressure since Pretti, a 37-year-old intensive care nurse, became the second U.S. citizen killed this month during confrontations involving federal immigration agents.
As with the earlier killing of Renee Good, Noem and other officials initially defended the agents, describing Pretti as a violent threat despite video evidence that appeared to contradict those claims.
“I don’t have any evidence that I’ve seen that suggests that the weapon was brandished,” Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara said in a Sunday interview on CBS.
In the days following the shooting, the White House signaled a more cautious posture.
Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt declined to repeat assertions that Pretti was a “domestic terrorist,” emphasizing that the president wanted investigations to determine the facts.
Trump also announced that border czar Tom Homan would take direct control of immigration operations in Minneapolis, reporting to the president rather than to Noem.
The move coincided with the removal of Border Patrol official Gregory Bovino from his Minneapolis role after his public claims about the shooting drew further controversy.
Trump additionally spoke with Minnesota Governor Tim Walz in an effort to reduce tensions, describing the exchange as constructive.
Meanwhile, bipartisan calls for independent investigations have grown, with some Democrats threatening to withhold Department of Homeland Security funding unless oversight is expanded.
Federal investigators continue to examine the shooting, but questions persist about accountability as public anger and political pressure continue to build.