Trump Says ICE Will 'Make Mistakes,' Calls Renee Good's Death 'Tragedy'

"They're gonna make mistakes sometimes," President Donald Trump said of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers on Tuesday.

For Context: Trump appeared to update his stance on the fatal shooting of 37-year-old protester Renee Good at the hands of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent Jonathon Ross during a controversial altercation in Minneapolis, Minnesota on Jan. 7. The president threatened to invoke the Insurrection Act in Minneapolis in response to further ICE protests on Thursday.

Key Quote: "They're gonna make mistakes sometimes. ICE is gonna be too rough with somebody or, you know, they're dealing with rough people. They're gonna make a mistake sometimes. It can happen. We feel terribly," Trump said at the press conference. "I felt horribly when I was told that the young woman had the tragedy. It's a tragedy. It's a horrible thing. Anybody would say it. ICE would say the same thing. But when I learned her parents, and her father in particular – I hope he still is, but I don't know – was a tremendous Trump fan. He was all for Trump, loved Trump… I hope he still feels that way. I don't know. It's a hard situation… It just happens. It's terrible." 

Initial Response: After the shooting on Jan. 7, Trump posted on Truth Social, "It is a horrible thing to watch. The woman screaming was, obviously, a professional agitator, and the woman driving the car was very disorderly, obstructing and resisting, who then violently, willfully, and viciously ran over the ICE Officer, who seems to have shot her in self defense. Based on the attached clip, it is hard to believe he is alive, but is now recovering in the hospital. The situation is being studied, in its entirety, but the reason these incidents are happening is because the Radical Left is threatening, assaulting, and targeting our Law Enforcement Officers and ICE Agents on a daily basis. They are just trying to do the job of MAKING AMERICA SAFE."

How The Media Covered It: News media across the political spectrum noted a potential shift from Trump's initial stance on the shooting. However, People (Lean Left bias) focused on Trump saying, "It just happens," and said he was "quick to defend" ICE. The outlet noted, "Trump also reiterated his previously stated comments that professional agitators were present at the scene of Good's death," but also that Trump has been "careful with his language" surrounding the shooting. Newsweek (Center) also highlighted Trump's previous comments – particularly, "I understand both sides," which he said last week. However, the outlet slantingly described the shooting in favor of Good: "As Good pulled her car back and then turned her wheels away, Ross shot multiple rounds at Good." Newsweek incorrectly said Trump's initial post called Good a "professional agitator," instead of the woman screaming. Washington Examiner (Lean Right) framed the comments as an effort "to tamp down on growing opposition to improper arrests and documented misuses of force" and uncharacteristically noted "documented overreaches by ICE agents, including the multiple improper detainments of American citizens."

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