In a deepening rift between federal and local authorities, President Donald Trump has forcefully defended an ICE agent who shot and killed a 37-year-old mother in Minneapolis, doubling down on claims of “domestic terrorism” despite mounting local outrage and contradictory video footage.
Speaking to reporters Thursday (January 8, 2026), President Donald Trump described the fatal shooting of Renee Nicole Good as “horrible to watch” but insisted the ICE agent involved acted in self-defence. The President’s remarks follow a Wednesday morning operation in South Minneapolis that left good, a U.S. citizen and local poet, dead after an agent fired multiple rounds through her windshield. While local leaders have branded the killing “state violence,” the White House has framed it as a necessary response to an attempt to “run over” federal officers.
During a scheduled interview with The New York Times, the President watched surveillance footage of the incident on a laptop, at one point calling it a “terrible scene” while maintaining the driver was the aggressor.
- The ‘Self-Defence’ Claim: Trump insisted Good “viciously ran over” the agent. “She didn’t try to run him over. She ran him over,” the President said, despite reporters pointing out the video appears to show her vehicle turning away from the officer before shots were fired.
- Hospitalization of Agent: Trump previously posted on Truth Social that the unnamed agent was “lucky to be alive” and was recovering in a hospital. DHS Secretary Kristi Noem added the officer used his training to save his colleagues from an act of “domestic terrorism.”
- ‘Horrible’ Behaviour: “She behaved horribly,” Trump said of the 37-year-old victim. “I want to see nobody get shot. I want to see nobody screaming and trying to run over policemen either.”
The incident occurred just after 9:30 AM Wednesday during the “largest DHS operation ever” in the Twin Cities, involving more than 2,000 agents.
- Conflicting Orders: Witnesses told Minnesota Public Radio agents were shouting contradictory instructions at Good one telling her to move the car and another trying to open her driver-side door. As her SUV reversed and then tried to move forward to turn away, the agent fired through the windshield.
- Bystander Footage: Widely circulated videos show a chaotic scene where an agent near the front of the vehicle draws his service weapon and fires as the car begins to move. Local activists claim the footage proves the agent was never in the path of the vehicle when he opened fire.
The political fallout in Minnesota has reached a fever pitch, with Mayor Jacob Frey and Governor Tim Walz accusing the federal government of “spinning” the tragedy.
- Frey’s Defiance: In a fiery press conference, Mayor Frey told ICE to “get the fuck out of Minneapolis,” calling the self-defence claim “bullshit.” He accused the federal surge of creating chaos rather than safety.
- Investigation Blockade: The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension has officially withdrawn from a joint investigation with the FBI. The BCA said the U.S. Attorney’s Office “reversed course,” blocking state investigators from accessing evidence, scene materials, or witness interviews.
- The George Floyd Echo: Protesters have pointed out the killing happened less than a mile from where George Floyd was killed by police in 2020, sparking fears of a prolonged military-style occupation of the city.
As the administration brands her a “rioter,” the Minneapolis community has mourned a woman they describe as peaceful and compassionate.
- The Poet: Good was a 37-year-old poet and mother of three. In 2020, she won an Academy of American Poets Prize for undergraduates while studying at Old Dominion University.
- The Mother: She is survived by a 15-year-old daughter and two sons, ages 12 and 6. At the time of the shooting, her youngest child’s toys were reportedly visible in the backseat of her SUV.
- Community Vigil: Thousands gathered on Portland Avenue Wednesday night for a candlelight vigil. “She was peaceful, she did the right thing,” said Jaylani Hussein of CAIR-MN.
Despite local calls for their withdrawal, the Trump administration has announced the deployment of an additional 100 U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers to Minnesota. With the city’s access to investigative evidence cut off and federal leadership doubling down on the “terrorist” narrative, Minneapolis remains a volatile front in the national battle over federal law enforcement power.
Also Read / State of Siege: Fatal ICE shooting in Minneapolis sparks national outrage.
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