Some officials in the Trump administration are reportedly uneasy about how quickly top leaders described the fatal, ICE-involved shooting of Minnesota mother Renee Good as “domestic terrorism,” following the death of Good during an encounter with ICE agent Jonathan Ross.
Good was shot and killed after an interaction in which Ross fired three rounds as Good refused to exit her van. The incident was recorded on Ross’ phone, according to the report.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem publicly accused Good of “domestic terrorism,” alleging she tried to “ram them with her vehicle.” Vice President J.D. Vance and President Donald Trump echoed Noem’s framing, with Vance also accusing the media of misrepresenting what happened.
Politico reported Friday that even some supporters of the president worry the administration’s early and forceful messaging could “risk undermining public confidence in the ongoing investigation.”
One person close to the administration told Politico they believed the “domestic terrorism” label could apply, but questioned the timing and delivery of the claim: “Do I think it’s domestic terrorism? Yeah, I do. But it might not have been wise to say that at the outset, how [Noem] said it.”
Another administration official, concerned the episode could further inflame political tensions, told Politico: “I don’t know how we recover from this.” The official added that the situation was “highly problematic,” calling it “not a good look” and “not something our government should be remotely engaged in.”
Video of the shooting has circulated widely on social media, and commentators have described the footage as a kind of political Rorschach test, with viewers interpreting it through partisan lenses.
On Friday, Vance posted what he described as another angle of the incident, arguing it supported the claim that the agent fired in self-defense. Critics, however, pointed to Good’s demeanor and words to the agent—“That’s fine, dude. I’m not mad at you”—and said it appeared she turned the steering wheel away from the agent as if trying to leave.
DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin addressed the video Vance posted, telling Politico: “If you weaponize a vehicle, a deadly weapon to kill or cause bodily harm to a federal law enforcement officer, that is an act of domestic terrorism and will be prosecuted as such.”
President Trump said Friday that he supported the FBI’s move to prevent state officials from investigating the incident, criticizing Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D) in the process.
