First Lady Melania Trump issued a rare political statement on Tuesday, January 27, 2026, urging unity and peaceful demonstrations in Minneapolis, Minnesota. This comes amid ongoing tensions following two fatal shootings by federal immigration agents in the city.
“I’m calling for unity. I know my husband, the president, had a great call yesterday [Monday] with the governor and the mayor, and they’re working together to make it peaceful and without riots,” Melania Trump stated during a Tuesday morning appearance on Fox and Friends. “I’m against the violence, so please, if you protest, protest in peace. And we need to unify in this time.”
This statement follows escalating protests in the wake of the deaths of American citizens Alex Pretti, 37, and Renee Nicole Good, 37. Both were fatally shot by federal agents in Minneapolis during federal enforcement operations. Pretti was killed by a border patrol agent on January 24, while Good was shot by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent on January 7. A third individual was shot on January 14 but survived.
Melania Trump’s public commentary on the Minneapolis situation marks an unusual step into political matters for the first lady, who typically maintains a lower profile on policy issues. Her appearance on Fox and Friends aligns with her increased visibility in recent weeks, as she promotes her upcoming documentary.
On January 26, President Donald Trump mentioned engaging in positive discussions with Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey. The president also agreed to decrease the number of federal agents in Minnesota, according to officials. Around 3,000 federal agents have been deployed to Minnesota for immigration enforcement operations.
The large-scale law enforcement presence in Minneapolis has ignited ongoing protests since federal agents arrived in December. The protests have intensified following the recent fatal shootings.
Details surrounding Pretti’s death are contested. Federal officials allege Pretti had a handgun and was violently resisting officers at the time of the shooting. However, online videos seem to show Pretti with just a phone in his hand during the incident. He was shot multiple times after agents confiscated a gun he was carrying. Pretti had not taken out the weapon.
Greg Bovino, the Customs and Border Patrol chief overseeing the Minneapolis operations, made an unsubstantiated claim that Pretti “intended to massacre law enforcement.” Bovino has since been recalled from Minneapolis. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has been among Trump administration officials defending the agent’s actions.
Pretti’s family has vehemently rejected the administration’s version of events. According to a statement, they called the administration’s claims “reprehensible and disgusting” and accused them of spreading “sickening lies” about the incident. This family’s pushback has increased public scrutiny of the shooting and federal immigration enforcement tactics in Minneapolis.
A federal judge has prohibited the Trump administration from destroying or altering evidence related to the shooting, ensuring materials are preserved for investigation. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche has been involved in addressing legal issues surrounding the incident, while Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison has called for a comprehensive investigation.
The White House announced the dispatch of Border Czar Tom Homan to Minneapolis to oversee immigration enforcement operations in the state. Homan, who was not previously involved in the Minnesota operations, will report directly to President Trump regarding the situation.
The deployment of approximately 3,000 federal agents to Minnesota is an unprecedented concentration of enforcement resources, mirroring the Trump administration’s emphasis on immigration enforcement as a key policy area.
Minneapolis has become a centerpiece for debates over immigration enforcement tactics and federal-local relations. The city’s leadership expressed concerns about the heavy federal presence, while protesters have continued demonstrations in the streets, demanding the agents’ departure. The deaths of Pretti and Good have transformed initial protests over immigration policy into a wider controversy over the use of force and accountability.
Melania Trump’s upcoming documentary, directed by Brett Ratner and part of a $40 million deal, has been a reason for her increased public presence. The Kennedy Center premiere was held on January 29, with release in theaters on January 30.
The first lady’s heightened media presence, due to the documentary release, coincides with the Minneapolis crisis. This creates a unique intersection of her promotional activities and commentary on a politically sensitive situation. Her call for unity is one of her most direct statements on a controversial policy matter during her tenure as first lady.
White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller has been among administration officials defending the federal enforcement operations and the actions of the agents involved in the shootings.
The situation in Minneapolis is currently evolving as federal and state officials negotiate the presence of immigration enforcement agents in the city. The agreement to reduce the number of federal officers may potentially de-escalate the situation, though details about the timeline and extent of the reduction remain unclear. Governor Walz’s office indicated the president agreed to consider reducing agent numbers, suggesting ongoing discussions about the federal presence.
The controversy raises questions about the rules of engagement for federal agents during immigration enforcement operations, particularly in situations involving protesters or bystanders. Use-of-force policies for Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol agents typically require officers to use deadly force only when facing an imminent threat of death or serious bodily harm. The conflicting accounts of what Pretti was holding and doing at the time of the shooting make it a central issue in the ongoing scrutiny.
Public reaction to Melania Trump’s statement has been varied, with some commending her call for unity while others criticized the remarks as insufficient given the circumstances. The first lady’s message focused on the need for peaceful protest rather than directly addressing the fatal shootings or the families’ concerns about the federal response.
As Minneapolis grapples with the aftermath of the shootings, the city faces ongoing protests and a continued federal presence, albeit at potentially reduced levels. The situation has become a key point in wider national debates over immigration enforcement, federal authority, and the appropriate use of force by government agents. The preservation of evidence ordered by the federal judge ensures an investigation can proceed. However, questions about transparency and accountability remain prominent in public discourse about the events in Minneapolis.
