The Trump administration has quickly abandoned its familiar deny and attack playbook after initially using it when federal agents shot dead Alex Pretti in Minneapolis on Saturday morning.
Within 24 hours, as various videos of the shooting circulated online, it became clear that the White House was out of step with public opinion.
Since then, the administration – and the president himself - have changed tack, blaming Democrats for what happened and focusing less on the actions of the American nurse who was killed.
Democrats, meanwhile, have increased their criticism of the president's mass deportation policy and the aggressive tactics of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), leaning into a political fight that could result in a new government shutdown on Friday.
On Monday, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche described the situation as a powder keg. While he blamed the Democrats, many on both sides of America's political divide will agree that the current situation is fraught with peril.
The initial reaction from the Trump administration portrayed Pretti as a domestic terrorist bent on bloodshed. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt later noted that a full investigation into the shooting would be conducted.
As public outrage grew, the administration's narrative quickly changed, stirring unease among Republicans. Vermont Governor Phil Scott criticized the federal approach as a failure of coordination and termed it deliberate federal intimidation.
In response, President Trump has sent a senior official to oversee the situation and shift towards a more conciliatory tone, hoping to align with local officials and address the public’s concerns over his immigration policies.
Ultimately, both Republicans and Democrats are now grappling with a response to what has become an explosive situation, critical to public perception of Trump's immigration policies that may significantly impact his political future.
