When a reporter asked Trump on Thursday evening whether or not he would be drawing back in Minneapolis, he responded: “Well, we want to keep our country safe. We’ll do whatever we can to keep our country safe.”
“So, not pulling back?” the reporter asked.
“No, no, not at all,” the president said.
This stands in stark contrast to what his administration has said this week.
After federal agents killed ICU nurse Alex Pretti on Saturday, Senate Democrats had threatened a government shutdown over the inclusion of Department of Homeland Security (DHS) funding and, within it, a historic increase to Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) budget.
Seemingly in response, the Trump administration scrambled to claw back some of its messaging.
The White House reneged on top officials’ comments calling Pretti an “assassin” and “terrorist,” and the administration booted Border Patrol official Gregory Bovino from his position overseeing the raid in Minneapolis. The new chief of Operation Metro Surge, “border czar” Tom Homan, assured the media that the operation was going to “draw down.” Trump himself said on Tuesday that “we’re going to deescalate a little bit” in Minneapolis.
And, for good measure, Trump administration insiders leaked some stories to the media about turmoil within Trump’s cabinet about immigration policy.
Just hours after Trump and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-New York) announced that they had reached a deal to avert a shutdown, however, Trump changed his tune. That deal, which would give DHS two weeks of funding to operate while negotiations are ongoing, was announced Thursday afternoon.
Trump’s comments lend credence to critics who said that the administration was only posturing about deescalating while never planning to do so.
The Senate still hasn’t passed the funding package due to some Republican holdouts. However, other Republicans have framed the negotiations as a win — and critics have slammed the deal as one that disproportionately benefits Trump.
The threat of a government shutdown was a major leverage point for Democrats. It would begin this weekend, just a week after federal agents’ killing of Alex Pretti in Minneapolis, giving Democrats power over Republicans to extract concessions on the Trump administration’s ICE operation.
Trump was desperate to avoid it — especially after his party shouldered much of the blame for the historically long shutdown last year. In a post on Truth Social on Thursday evening, he lauded the package.
Meanwhile, critics have slammed Schumer for the deal, which only buys Republicans time to distance themselves from the Pretti killing and continue the administration’s raids in Minneapolis and other cities unhindered.
“Leader Schumer should ask the Minnesotans who are watching their neighbors get killed in cold blood if a deal with no plan to stop ICE is enough right now,” said MoveOn Civic Action.
The Biden Admin:
reimplemented Obama era 72 hour holding limit for the ICE and a strict criminal-only focus
expanded overtime pay eligibility to millions
forgave $186 Billion of student loans despite constant pushback from Republican AGs and courts
increased audits for the rich, which payed for itself and more
allowed over-the-counter birth control to hit the markets
pardoned thousands of marijuana convictions, commuting 2500+ sentences
awarded $286 million for schools student mental health programs
replaced more federal vehicle fleets with all electric
expanded solar and wind power across the nation
drafted new anti-redlining predatory mortgage regulations which went into effect in January
a crackdown on hidden fees from service providers, ticket sellers, and banks
forced Chinese companies to properly report SEC Filings in order to remain publicly tradeable
expanded less carbon intensive farming practices in the USA
expanded nature conservation and national parks more than any past president, including $4 Billion for the preservation of the shrinking Colorado River
cut federal funding for career training programs which trap their students in more debt relative to their post-graduation earnings
brokered a peace deal in the Congo
strengthened alliance with Japan and South Korea over countering potential threats from China and North Korea
funded medical research for things like cancer, countering the previous cuts by Republicans
helped Class-A railroad workers to have industry-wide paid sick leave, albeit after he undercut their strike he still aided them in getting all of their demands in the following months
literally penned the first and then only AI oversight and regulation with his AI Executive Order
investigated grocery store price gouging and blocked mergers such as Krogers-Albertsons
The Respect for Marriage Act which protects gay marriage
protected LGBT+ Service Members and Veterans
signed multiple executive orders protecting lgbt+ throughout the federal government including “prevent and combat discrimination on the basis of gender identity or sexual orientation” and “advance equality for LGBTQI+ individuals”
appointed the first openly LGBTQI+ Cabinet Secretary, White House Press Secretary, and White House Communications Director, the two first openly transgender people to ever be confirmed by the U.S. Senate, and the first out lesbian to achieve the rank of Ambassador.
What the Biden Admin could not do without 60 votes:
Public Option Healthcare identical to Germany’s
A constitutional ammendment reversing Citizens United. The effect of this reversal is removing all PAC money from campaign funding and limiting individual contributions
Reversing the GOP and Trump’s tax bill which had cut taxes for the rich. The GOP also raised taxes on the lowest bracket and most middle class.
Sorry, did THE PARLIAMENTARIAN approve this copy paste?
lmfao
When presented with easily verifiable facts your response is to accuse the opponent of being some kind of plant or paid troll?
Nice counter-argument, you really made yourself look so sophisticated and honest just now. /s
Is this copy paste as well?
Or do you just love your straw man that much?
Nobody mentioned paid trolls. Your argument is that Biden did minor things - that you’ve attempted to inflate, or ignore they were far below what was demanded (student debt is especially egregious here).
Just sad. And you wonder why your type keeps losing to an insane game show host?
You asked if somebody approved of the copy paste, implying that I require approval for statements I made.
The minimum wage was failed to be raised by the Democrats despite having both houses of Congress and the Presidency. Their excuse was the PARLIAMENTARIAN had denied it
Try and keep up.
The DNC have not had more than 48 senators in 13 years. To bypass Republican filibusters require 60 and in order to bypass presidential veto requires 67. The last time the DNC were in a good position to raise minimum wage was 2014 and… oh look… Republican Filibuster.
I didn’t ask about your illuminati theories, dude.
Are you actually trying to claim the Democrats did not control the Senate starting in 2021? Sanders and King both caucus with the Democrats.
And thanks for bringing that point full circle . . . amazing how the GOP can pass laws when they control Congress, and yet the Dems can’t. And sad sacks like you just make up excuse after excuse.
Which isn’t fooling anyone, btw, except yourselves.
This isn’t some obscure knowledge. Maybe actually read the news instead of asking ChatGPT for talking points in the future.
You appear to have lost track of what thread you’re replying in? We already did this where you claimed nothing happened under DNC and I brought in a bigass list of things…
You having some memory issues?