The National Rifle Association has pushed back after President Donald Trump said “you can’t have guns” while addressing the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti in Minneapolis.
Pretti, an intensive care nurse, was shot and killed on Saturday during a federal immigration enforcement operation.
Speaking to reporters about the shooting on Tuesday, Trump said: “You can’t have guns. You can’t walk in with guns. It’s a very unfortunate thing.”
The NRA later posted on X: “The NRA unequivocally believes that all law-abiding citizens have a right to keep and bear arms anywhere they have a legal right to be.”
Why It Matters
The exchange underscores a potential point of friction between Trump and a major gun-rights organization at a politically sensitive moment.
What To Know
Gun-rights organizations have long defended the right to openly carry firearms in public—an approach that Trump and other Republicans have also supported.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said on Saturday that federal agents fired “defensive shots” at Pretti during an attempt to disarm him.
An initial memo to Congress did not mention that Pretti—described as a lawful gun owner with a permit to carry—tried to reach for his firearm, CBS News reported.
The memo said a Border Patrol agent discharged a Customs and Border Protection (CBP)-issued Glock 19, and a CBP officer also discharged a Glock 47 after a struggle in which an agent repeatedly shouted, “He’s got a gun!,” according to the news outlet.
The dispute comes amid repeated clashes between gun-rights groups and members of the Trump administration. FBI Director Kash Patel said on Sunday: “You cannot bring a firearm, loaded, with multiple magazines to any sort of protest that you want.”
The National Association for Gun Rights said the statement “sets a dangerous precedent for Second Amendment rights.”
Patel later clarified his position in an interview with Fox News host Sean Hannity, saying: “We truly, fully support the Second Amendment—people’s right to bear arms.”
But he added regarding the situation in Minnesota: “We have to ask people what’s prudential, what’s smart. And it’s not smart to go out there with a fully loaded weapon… we’re just saying be careful and be reasonable.”
What People Are Saying
The NRA wrote on X on Sunday: “For months, radical progressive politicians like Tim Walz have incited violence against law enforcement officers who are simply trying to do their jobs. Unsurprisingly, these calls to dangerously interject oneself into legitimate law-enforcement activities have ended in violence, tragically resulting in injuries and fatalities. As there is with any officer-involved shooting, there will be a robust and comprehensive investigation that takes place to determine if the use of force was justified. As we await these facts and gain a clearer understanding, we urge the political voices to lower the temperature to ensure their constituents and law enforcement officers stay safe.”
Trump said in a post on Truth Social over the weekend: “This is the gunman’s gun, loaded (with two additional full magazines!), and ready to go – What is that all about? Where are the local Police? Why weren’t they allowed to protect ICE Officers? The Mayor and the Governor called them off? It is stated that many of these Police were not allowed to do their job, that ICE had to protect themselves — Not an easy thing to do!”
Gun Owners of America said last week: “We are saddened by the loss of life in Minneapolis, Minnesota earlier today during a federal law-enforcement operation. Because details remain limited and facts are still emerging, it is essential that the Justice Department conduct a complete, transparent, and prompt investigation so the public can fully understand what occurred and maintain confidence in the rule of law.”
What Happens Next
Trump has sent his border czar Tom Homan to Minnesota to meet with state and local officials as authorities continue investigating Pretti’s death.
