Some officials inside the Trump administration are reportedly questioning how quickly senior leaders described the fatal, ICE-involved shooting of Minnesota mother Renee Good as an act of “domestic terrorism.”
Good was killed during a confrontation involving ICE agent Jonathan Ross. In the immediate aftermath, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem accused Good of “domestic terrorism,” alleging she attempted 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.
According to Politico, even some supporters of the president worry the administration’s aggressive messaging could “risk undermining public confidence in the ongoing investigation.”
One person described as close to the administration told Politico they believed the label might ultimately fit, but questioned the decision to use it so early. “Do I think it’s domestic terrorism? Yeah, I do,” the person said, adding that it “might not have been wise to say that at the outset,” in the way Noem did.
Another official, also described as concerned about the episode deepening political divisions, told Politico: “I don’t know how we recover from this.” The official added that the situation was “highly problematic,” “not a good look,” and “not something our government should be remotely engaged in.”
Footage of the incident has circulated widely online, with commentators arguing the videos are being interpreted very differently depending on political perspective.
On Friday, Vance posted what he described as a new angle of the encounter, saying it supported a claim of self-defense. Critics, however, pointed to Good’s tone and words in the clip—“That’s fine, dude. I’m not mad at you”—and argued she appeared to turn the steering wheel away from the agent as if attempting to leave.
In response to the video Vance shared, DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin told Politico that using a vehicle to kill or seriously harm a federal officer would qualify as domestic terrorism and would be prosecuted that way.
President Trump also said Friday he supported the FBI’s move to block state officials from investigating the incident, and criticized Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D) in blunt terms.
