From ‘Domestic Terrorist’ to ‘Tragedy’: Trump Admin Does a 180 on Alex Pretti After Pushback From All Sides

WASHINGTON, D.C. — After spending the weekend aggressively framing Alex Pretti as a dangerous domestic terrorist who needed to be neutralized, the Trump administration announced Monday that his death was, in fact, a “tragedy,” marking a sudden tonal shift prompted by widespread backlash that even Republicans found difficult to ignore.

The pivot became official once White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt referred to Pretti’s death as a “tragedy,” a notable shift from an administration that had spent the previous two days insisting the killing was justified and necessary. Observers noted that when even Leavitt abandons the hardline talking points, something has gone seriously wrong in the messaging bunker.

Administration officials emphasized that the change in rhetoric did not reflect a change in values, but rather a recognition that video evidence, bipartisan outrage, and visible discomfort among GOP lawmakers had rendered the original narrative unusable.

President Trump described his subsequent calls with Minnesota leaders as “very good,” suggesting that cooperation becomes possible once the administration’s preferred version of events stops working in public.

Aides stressed that the White House still supports aggressive enforcement tactics, while also acknowledging that calling a killing “tragic” is sometimes necessary when GOP allies stop nodding along.