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** OPINION
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** How bystander video and newsroom analysis undercut the White House narrative on Alex Pretti
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A demonstrator holds a sign during a protest in Minneapolis on Monday. (AP Photo/Adam Gray)

An interesting scene is playing out at the White House after the latest shooting death of a protester in Minneapolis.

In the minutes and hours and days after ICU nurse Alex Pretti was shot 10 times and killed by Border Patrol agents on Saturday, many inside the Trump administration immediately pointed fingers at Pretti. They said he was “brandishing” a gun. They called him a “domestic terrorist.” They said he meant to “massacre law enforcement."

Some conservative media outlets ran with that storyline.

None of these statements were rooted in truth. They came from officials such as Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and Border Patrol chief Greg Bovino. Pretti was also criticized by FBI director Kash Patel and Trump deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt has placed the blame on Democratic politicians in Minnesota.

It’s the same script that followed the shooting death of Renee Good by a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent earlier in the month.

Yet, what stands out most of all from these horrifying events is that videos from bystanders at the scene show us what happened. Thanks to those citizen videos, as well as the detailed analysis of those videos from visual forensic reporters at places such as The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal and CNN, we can see with our own eyes what happened. And what we see and what the Trump administration tells us we see are two very different things.

Why does the Trump administration insist on telling us not to believe our own eyes? Because it’s a tactic that works. Look no further than the 2020 presidential election.

For the past six years, Trump and those in his orbit have kept saying that the election was stolen. They said it even though there is absolutely no proof, and legal challenges have been repeatedly shut down. Conservative media were complicit in spreading the lie.

Yet, countless polls show that more than half of Republicans believe that the 2020 election was rigged — based on nothing more than Trump saying it was rigged.

Perhaps that is why you’ve seen Trump administration officials calling Good and Pretti domestic terrorists and blaming them for their own deaths almost minutes after they were killed and long before a real investigation can be done.

Keep saying it, and people will eventually believe it. That’s why the detailed video analysis work from places like the Times, Post and CNN are so valuable in this moment.

It could also be having an impact inside the White House, especially the Oval Office.

The New York Times’ Luke Broadwater and David E. Sanger wrote Monday ([link removed]) , “Faced with broad outcry over the killing of a protester on Saturday in Minneapolis, the White House on Monday tried to distance President Trump from the response of his most senior officials, who had immediately characterized the man fatally shot by federal agents as a ‘domestic terrorist’ who was ‘brandishing’ a gun, before video evidence undercut their charges.”

Leavitt, the Times wrote, “notably did not defend the rhetoric of White House officials.” However, it would appear Leavitt is trying to strike a delicate balance between protecting Trump from some of the most extreme statements of administration officials and not wanting to undercut those officials either.

But the Times put it well when it wrote, “White House officials clearly understood that the killing, the second of an American citizen protesting the presence of Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Minneapolis, posed one of the gravest political threats to Mr. Trump since his inauguration just a little over a year ago.”

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** What’s next?
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U.S. Border Patrol commander Gregory Bovino, center, and other federal immigration officers stop at a gas station earlier this month in Columbia Heights, Minn. (AP Photo/Adam Gray)

CNN was among the first to report ([link removed]) that controversial Border Patrol chief Gregory Bovino and some of his agents are expected to leave Minnesota today. The move comes after Trump announced he was sending White House border czar Tom Homan to Minneapolis.

Bovino has been a lightning rod of criticism since his arrival — a criticism that has only intensified with the shooting death of Pretti on Saturday.

CNN’s Priscilla Alvarez said on air, “This really is a major shift in strategy here by the Trump administration.” Alvarez later added, “Now, we’re also told that part of this has been influenced by the frustrations within the administration over the handling and the public response of Saturday’s shooting.”

Leavitt praised Bovino on Monday, calling him “a wonderful man” and “a great professional,” adding that he will continue with Customs and Border Patrol.

But then Monday evening, The Atlantic’s Nick Miroff reported ([link removed]) that Bovino has been removed as Border Patrol “commander at large” and will return to his former job in El Centro, California, where he is expected to retire soon.

Miroff wrote, “Bovino’s sudden demotion is the clearest sign yet that the Trump administration is reconsidering its most aggressive tactics after the killing Saturday of 37-year-old Alex Pretti by Border Patrol agents under Bovino’s command.”

Just earlier in the day, NewsNation correspondent-at-large Geraldo Rivera said, “Well, Bovino calling this domestic terrorism is … he should be demoted. He should be banished from the scene. He’s done a terrible job and Secretary Noem has not been much better with her rhetoric, placing blame on the dead victims.”

Miroff also wrote, “Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and her close adviser Corey Lewandowski, who were Bovino’s biggest backers at DHS, are also at risk of losing their jobs, two of the people told me.”

Perhaps the removal of Bovino is a small step in the right direction toward easing tensions in Minnesota.

Minnesota state Rep. Zack Stephenson told CBS News ([link removed]) , “It's great news. Greg Bovino has no credibility here in Minnesota. I’m glad he's leaving. It's a good start. It's not nearly enough.”

In another notable shift, Trump also said he had spoken on the phone with Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, who has been highly critical of ICE’s presence in his state. And, from the sounds of it, Trump and Walz had a good conversation.

On Truth Social ([link removed]) , Trump wrote, “It was a very good call, and we, actually, seemed to be on a similar wavelength.”


** Who saw this coming?
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Bari Weiss’ Free Press has a new editorial out blasting Noem and the Trump administration following Pretti’s killing. The headline alone doesn’t tiptoe around the topic: “Kristi Noem’s Reckless Lies.” ([link removed])

The editorial points out what many of us already know: that the videos of Pretti’s killing do not align with the government’s version of what happened. Noem said the Pretti was “brandishing” a firearm and that he “impeded the law enforcement officers and attacked them.”

The editorial said, “The problem for her and the president she serves is that there are multiple videos of the attack that show something different.”

The editorial says Noem and others in the administration should promise a full investigation and, in the meantime, show sympathy for the death of an American citizen.

The editorial continued, “That is not what the Trump administration is doing. They appear to view the social divisions their policies and rhetoric has helped create as a feature and not a bug.”

It concluded by saying, “After Donald Trump’s improbable comeback in 2024, he had a chance to reset American politics. Instead, Trump and his administration too often govern like political opponents are mortal enemies and his supporters are easy to fool.”


** ‘All this is unacceptable’
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Former President Bill Clinton has weighed in with his thoughts ([link removed]) . Clinton said, in part, that he “never thought this would happen in America.”

He continued, “People, including children, have been seized from their homes, workplaces, and the street by masked federal agents. Peaceful protesters and citizens exercising their constitutional right to observe and document law enforcement have been arrested, beaten, teargassed, and most searingly, in the cases of Renee Good and Alex Pretti, shot and killed.”

Clinton added, “All of this is unacceptable and should have been avoided.”

He then took the unusual step for a former president and criticized the current administration, writing, “To make matters even worse, at every turn, the people in charge have lied to us, told us not to believe what we’ve seen with our own eyes, and pushed increasingly aggressive and antagonistic tactics, including impeding investigations by local authorities.”

He also said, “Over the course of a lifetime, we face only a few moments where the decisions we make and the actions we take will shape our history for years to come. This is one of them.”


** More notable coverage about Minneapolis
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* New York Times contributing opinion writer Julia Angwin talks about the importance of shooting cellphone videos in “The Best Weapon You Have in the Fight Against ICE.” ([link removed])
* My Poynter colleague Kristen Hare with “What’s happening in Minneapolis? Hear it from the journalists who live there.” ([link removed])
* Semafor’s Max Tani with “‘We’re not trying to recreate social media’: How Minnesota’s Star Tribune navigates a local crisis.” ([link removed])
* MS NOW’s Stephen Gutowski with “The Trump administration wants to have it both ways on gun rights.” ([link removed])
* Mediaite’s Colby Hall with “Alex Pretti’s Life Should Remind Us Of What American Citizenship Looks Like.” ([link removed])
* A roundtable discussion from The New York Times: “‘Kristi Noem Needs to Go.’ Three Columnists on ICE in Minneapolis.” ([link removed])
* Jonathan Rauch, contributing writer for The Atlantic, with “Yes, It’s Fascism.” ([link removed])


** The sports world reacts
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Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr, left, and Minnesota Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch, right, after an NBA basketball game Sunday in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Matt Krohn)

Many in the world of sports are reacting to the tragic shooting in Minneapolis. The most notable has been WNBA star Breanna Stewart, who — during pregame introductions in an Unrivaled league game over the weekend — held up a sign that read “Abolish ICE.”

Stewart is one of the most accomplished basketball players of all time. She was a four-time national champion in college at UConn. In the WNBA, she is a two-time MVP, a two-time finals MVP, and a three-time champion, as well as a seven-time all-star. She said she held up the sign because she’s “just disgusted from everything” happening in Minneapolis.

She added, “We’re so fueled by hate right now instead of love. So I wanted to have a simple message of ‘Abolish ICE,’ which means having policies to uplift families and communities instead of fueling fear and violence. When human lives are at stake, it’s bigger than anything else.”

NBA coach Steve Kerr, who has led the Golden State Warriors to four titles, said, “People are so angry. There should be an appeal to our better angels to look after one another, and to recognize what’s happening. We’re being divided by media for profit, by misinformation. There’s so much out there that is really difficult for all of us to sort of reconcile. And so, in times like these, you have to lean on values and who you are and who you want to be.”

Kerr has always been outspoken politically and has been a frequent critic of the Trump administration, as well as gun violence. His Warriors were in Minneapolis for a game last Saturday, but that game was postponed a day because of the most recent shooting.

Kerr said, “There’s a pall that has been cast over the city. You can feel it. A lot of people are suffering. Obviously, loss of life, it’s the No. 1 concern. Those families will never get their family members back. When all the unrest settles down, whenever that is, those family members won’t be returning home — and that’s devastating.”

Minnesota Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch said, “For the second time in less than three weeks, we’ve lost another beloved member of our community in the most unimaginable way. As an organization, we are heartbroken for what we are having to witness and endure and watch.”

After a day’s delay, the game was played, with the Warriors winning easily. That led Kerr to say, “Honestly, what I felt was that their group was suffering. I thought the vibe in the stands, it was one of the most bizarre, sad games I’ve ever been a part of. You could feel the somber atmosphere. Their team, we could tell, they were struggling with everything that’s been going on and what the city has been through. It was very sad. It was a sad night.”

There was a moment of silence for Pretti before the start of the Timberwolves-Warriors game.


** The latest with the Post
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Rumors continue to swirl about possible massive cuts at The Washington Post. Former longtime Washington Post media reporter Paul Farhi tweeted ([link removed]) Monday, “Newsroom folks now saying impending cuts will be very large—up to 300 people—and will fall most heavily on sports and foreign staff. But cuts *will* include non-newsroom (ie., business) personnel, too. So pain all around.”

As I mentioned in Monday’s newsletter, The New York Times reported ([link removed]) that the Post would not send anyone to the upcoming Winter Olympics as planned — an absolutely stunning development for a news organization known for its legendary sports coverage.

On Monday, things shifted — but only slightly. The Post, perhaps in response to the incredible blowback inside and outside the paper, is reversing course. It will be sending reporters to the Olympics, after all. However, reports are that the Post will only send four journalists to Italy, far fewer than the original plan of sending at least a dozen.

The New York Times’ Erik Wemple and Benjamin Mullin had previously reported that the Post had already spent roughly $80,000 in travel and lodging to cover the Winter Games. It would appear that the Post took the stance that since it already spent that money, it might as well send a few reporters to get a return on that investment.

Meanwhile, Puck’s Dylan Byers reported ([link removed]) over the weekend that there are rumors the Post could cut the sports section entirely — something that still seems unfathomable. Wemple, a longtime media critic at the Post, reported ([link removed]) Monday that the beat writers who cover the Washington Nationals baseball team have been told not to book travel arrangements to cover spring training. As a former sportswriter, I cannot tell you how difficult it would be to cover a Major League Baseball team without the benefit of covering spring training.

Who knows just how severe the cuts in sports will be? But, at the bare minimum, it appears the sports section will be a shell of what it used to be. And that’s a shame, considering that an argument could be made that The Washington Post sports section has long been considered the gold standard of newspaper sports sections.

Meanwhile, many Post staffers are using the hashtag #SaveThePost to talk about the importance of their work, and to urge Post owner Jeff Bezos to reconsider what appear to be looming cuts.


** Dumb comment
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Paul Allen, radio play-by-play announcer for the Minnesota Vikings and host of a sports-talk show on KFAN in the Twin Cities, has apologized and will take a few days off following insensitive comments about the ICE protests in Minneapolis.

On his morning show last Friday, Allen was talking about how cold it was in Minnesota and then said, “I'm beginning to wonder if, in conditions like this, do paid protesters get hazard pay? Those are the things that I've been thinking about this morning.”

The comment came a couple weeks after Minneapolis protester Renee Good was shot and killed by ICE agents, but a day before protester Alex Pretti was shot and killed by Border Patrol agents. Regardless of timing, it was a dumb and insensitive thing to say, as well as being an oft-repeated and unproven talking point from many conservatives about protests against the Trump administration.

KFAN on Monday played what sounded like a recorded apology from Allen ([link removed]) , who said his comment was "insensitive and poorly-timed.” He then said he was sorry. He went on to call it a “misguided attempt at humor.”

You think? It’s hard to find any humor in anything surrounding this situation in Minnesota.

Allen went on to say his show is not political. He then concluded by apologizing again and saying he would “take a few days off.”

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** Media tidbits
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* CBS News editor-in-chief Bari Weiss will host a town hall today with CBS News staffers about the “future of CBS News.” Staffers were notified by email and were asked to submit questions in advance.
* The Washington Post’s Laura Wagner and Scott Nover with “Trump has ramped up lawsuits against the media. Here’s where they stand.” ([link removed])
* The New York Times’ Benjamin Mullin with “Public Media Holds Its Apocalypse at Bay, for Now.” ([link removed])
* Julie Pace, senior vice president and executive editor of The Associated Press; and Vijay Iyer, a composer, pianist and professor at Harvard University, have been elected to the Pulitzer Prize Board. Pace, who has overseen the AP newsroom since 2021, said in a statement, “The Pulitzer Prizes play a vital role not only in recognizing the best of journalism, arts and letters, but also in highlighting the value of this work to society. I am honored by the opportunity to serve on the board and help carry forward this mission.” Here’s the official announcement ([link removed]) .
* The Associated Press’ Christopher Weber with “California Post brings brash New York-style tabloid news to the West Coast.” ([link removed])
* The owner of the Detroit Free Press, USA Today Co., is buying the rival Detroit News. The announcement comes a month after a joint operating agreement between the two papers ended. Michael Reed, chairman and CEO of USA Today, said the Free Press and News will continue to operate as separate products with distinct voices. Here’s more ([link removed]) from the Free Press’ Sandy Mazza. And here’s the take ([link removed]) from Axios Detroit’s Annalise Frank and Joe Guillen.


** Hot type
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* The Super Bowl matchup is set. It’s the New England Patriots vs. the Seattle Seahawks in a rematch of Super Bowl XLIX from 10 years ago. That game was famous for the Patriots preserving the victory on an incredible last-minute interception by Malcolm Butler — a replay that you will surely see 647 times in the next two weeks. So let’s get that storyline rolling. Here’s The Ringer’s Alan Siegel with “The Pick Heard Round the World.” ([link removed])


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* Join a foundational career and leadership development 101 course — fully virtual for ambitious media professionals without direct reports. Apply now ([link removed]) .

Have feedback or a tip? Email Poynter senior media writer Tom Jones at [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]) .

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