What Trump said

President Donald Trump said Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old nurse who was killed during a confrontation with Border Patrol agents, should not have been carrying a loaded gun, even though the weapon was legal.

Trump made the remarks on while saying he would wait for the results of federal investigations before drawing conclusions about the shooting.

“You can’t bring guns into situations like that. It’s a very unfortunate thing.”

The comments marked a departure from Trump’s long-standing support for expansive gun rights, where he has often argued that law-abiding citizens have the right to carry firearms in public.

What video shows

Video from the scene shows Pretti being forced to the ground before agents realized he was armed. He was disarmed before two agents fired their weapons.

An agent can be heard repeatedly warning that Pretti had a gun shortly before shots were fired.

Trump avoided labels such as “domestic terrorist” or “assassin”, but said Pretti’s possession of a firearm and extra magazines was concerning.

“I don’t like that he had a gun. I don’t like that he had two fully loaded magazines.”

Reaction from gun rights groups

Gun rights groups pushed back quickly. The National Rifle Association reaffirmed that law-abiding Americans have the right to carry firearms where legal.

Gun Owners of America said armed protest is constitutionally protected and warned against restrictions on those rights.

Dudley Brown, president of the National Association for Gun Rights, said Trump’s remarks mischaracterized the law.

What happens next

There is no indication the White House plans to pursue changes to federal gun laws. Republicans in Congress continue to oppose gun control measures.

  • Status: Federal investigations ongoing
  • Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota
  • Key issue: Whether firearms belong at protests