Donald Trump Criticized for ‘Out of Touch’ NFL Post Following Alex Pretti Shooting
Donald Trump has faced criticism for his post about the NFL after Alex Pretti was shot and killed by federal ICE agents.
Pretti, 37, a nurse at NCU, was shot multiple times by an ICE agent in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on Saturday. Video shows him walking toward an ICE agent with his phone in hand before being sprayed with a chemical irritant. Witnesses say Pretti then tried to help another bystander who was also sprayed before ICE agents wrestled him to the ground and shot him several times.
Members of Trump’s administration defended the shooting, saying Pretti had a handgun and came to the scene to cause serious harm and target law enforcement. Although a handgun was found near Pretti before the shooting, former police trainer John Cohen told ABC News that the video doesn’t show any evidence that Pretti intended to attack the officers.
Trump told The Wall Street Journal that his administration is “reviewing everything” about the shooting but so far has not fully supported the federal officers’ version of events.
Before their NBA game against the Golden State Warriors on Sunday, the Minnesota Timberwolves held a moment of silence for Pretti. The game was originally scheduled for Saturday but was moved to Sunday because of the shooting.
On his social media platform Truth Social, Trump posted several long statements about Pretti’s shooting, including criticism of Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Mayor Jacob Frey. He also took a moment to complain about the NFL’s new kickoff rule, which changes how players line up before the first play.
“I can’t watch the new NFL Kickoff,” Trump wrote. “Like many others, I just turn my head. Who has the right to make such a change? So disrespectful to the game! The original was Big Time, Strong, Glamorous, and Exciting. The ridiculous new Kickoff Rule takes away the prestige and power of the game. I hope College Football doesn’t follow!”