Top White House aide Stephen Miller said Tuesday that federal agents in Minneapolis “may not have been following” proper protocol when they shot Alex Pretti — a notable shift from the administration’s earlier posture on the killing.
“The White House provided clear guidance to DHS that the extra personnel that had been sent to Minnesota for force protection should be used for conducting fugitive operations to create a physical barrier between the arrest teams and the disruptors,” Miller said in a statement to CNN. “We are evaluating why the CBP team may not have been following that protocol.”
Miller’s remarks mark a change in tone from President Donald Trump’s administration after two U.S. citizens were killed in Minneapolis this month. Miller, a key architect of the administration’s immigration agenda, has drawn backlash for describing Pretti as an “assassin” within hours of the shooting.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem also defended her own statements about Pretti on Tuesday, arguing that she spoke “at the direction of the president and Stephen.”
Noem had previously claimed that Pretti “arrived at the scene to inflict maximum damage on individuals and kill law enforcement.” She has reportedly been sidelined from immigration operations in Minnesota in favor of border czar Tom Homan, as lawmakers from both parties call for her removal from the Department of Homeland Security.
Miller also addressed Noem’s comments and reports that he helped shape messaging from Border Patrol Chief Greg Bovino, who had claimed Pretti intended to “massacre” agents. Bovino has also reportedly been removed from his role.
“The initial statement from DHS was based on reports from CBP on the ground,” Miller said.
Miller did not deny that he provided talking points to Noem. Instead, he argued that her initial public statement after Pretti’s death was rooted in information relayed by Customs and Border Protection agents on the ground in Minneapolis.
