BY MIRABEL ODETA
U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday adopted a more measured and conciliatory tone over the fatal shooting of a Minnesota mother by a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer, calling the incident “sad to see on both sides” as scrutiny over his administration’s aggressive immigration enforcement continues to grow.
Speaking in the Oval Office, Trump described the January 7 shooting as “unfortunate,” signaling a departure from the sharper language used earlier by both himself and Vice President JD Vance.
The incident involved ICE officer Jonathan Ross, who fatally shot Renee Good, a 38-year-old U.S. citizen and mother of three, during an enforcement operation in Minneapolis. The shooting occurred after Trump authorized the deployment of more than 2,000 additional federal officers to Minnesota as part of a broader push to intensify immigration enforcement efforts across the country.
Video footage reviewed by investigators shows that Ross fired the first of three shots as Good’s vehicle began moving past him. The circumstances surrounding the encounter have since become the subject of intense public debate and official review.
Shortly after the shooting, Trump posted on Truth Social that Good was a “professional agitator” who had “violently, willfully, and viciously” run over the officer, suggesting the shooting appeared to be an act of self-defense.
However, when pressed during the interview on whether he believed the ICE officer acted appropriately, Trump declined to pass judgment. “I don’t get into right or wrong.
I know that it was a tough situation to be in,” he said, adding that he believed there was “very little respect shown to the police, in this case, the ICE officers.” Trump reiterated his sympathy by saying, “It’s so sad to see on both sides.”
The president also addressed questions about whether he would consider pardoning Ross if the officer were charged and convicted in connection with the shooting. Trump said he would reserve judgment until the legal process unfolds. “I think that we’re going to have to see what happens. That was a very unfortunate incident. We’re just going to see what happens,” he said.
Under U.S. law, federal agents are typically shielded from state prosecution for actions taken in the course of their official duties. Still, local officials in Minnesota have pushed back against claims that the shooting was an act of self-defense, arguing that the evidence does not support that conclusion.
Despite the controversy, Trump made clear he has no plans to scale back ICE deployments to U.S. cities. He said the continued presence of federal immigration officers is necessary to combat crime, even as enforcement surges have increasingly resulted in tense and sometimes violent confrontations.
Data released by ICE shows that a significant number of individuals arrested during the administration’s crackdown have no criminal charges or prior convictions, further fueling criticism from civil rights groups and local leaders.
The shooting has become a flashpoint in the national debate over immigration enforcement, police conduct, and the balance between public safety and civil liberties, with the investigation likely to remain under close public and political scrutiny in
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