Source: Global Times
[Global Times Report] According to the U.S. Axios news website on January 27, a gun-carrying protester was shot and killed by federal law enforcement officers in Minnesota, causing chaos within the White House. U.S. President Trump became frustrated with the White House narrative deviating from the actual situation, and internal White House officials began to shift blame onto each other.
The report states that U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noom is now facing criticism for issuing misleading inciting statements. She had claimed that the deceased American citizen, Alex Prentice, intended to "kill" law enforcement officers. Six informed sources told Axios that White House officials blamed the border patrol for providing false information, while other officials pointed the finger at the White House Deputy Chief of Staff and Trump's core advisor, Stephen Miller.
Photo of U.S. President Trump and Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noom
An informed source told Axios that Noom said, "Everything I did was in accordance with the president's and Stephen's instructions." The report indicates that although Noom, as a ministerial-level official, holds a higher position than Miller, the latter has effectively constrained her through actual supervision.
On the other hand, Miller told Axios, "All early statements were based on the information submitted to the White House by the Customs and Border Protection."
The report stated that shortly after 10:05 a.m. local time on the 24th, when Prentice was shot and killed, government officials immediately realized they might face a major crisis, but at that time, the federal government had very little information. An informed source revealed that the officers directly involved in the shooting "all remained silent and quickly hired lawyers, leading to a severe lack of information." According to a source involved in drafting the statement, the reports submitted by border patrol personnel on site led officials to believe that Prentice had displayed a firearm. Miller "heard the word 'firearm' and then shaped the narrative: Prentice intended to 'kill' the police."
The Department of Homeland Security issued a statement on social media X at 12:31 p.m. on the same day. Some White House officials approved the statement, but others opposed it, and the release of the statement made them feel frustrated. "Other people within the White House tried to make changes before the statement was released, but by that time, the statement had already gone live and started spreading," an informed source revealed.
Axios stated that minutes after the Department of Homeland Security released the statement, Miller posted on social media X accusing Prentice of being an "assassin." According to sources, this statement was also based on preliminary reports from the Customs and Border Protection. Vice President Vance later retweeted the comment. Noom also used the same wording during a press conference later that evening. Noom incorrectly suggested that Prentice had "waved a weapon," but video footage showed that he never reached for his gun and had been disarmed before being shot.
Axios also reported that as more videos filmed by bystanders contradicted the White House's official narrative, Trump became agitated by the images broadcast on television news and social media, and decided to adjust the deployment of actions in Minnesota. He sent Tom Homan, the White House border affairs chief, to take charge of the operation in the state. Homan has long criticized Miller's tough enforcement measures.
According to the report, the New York Times first disclosed that Noom met with Trump at the White House on the evening of the 26th, lasting two hours. Miller did not attend the meeting, and Homan, who had conflicts with Noom, also did not attend. A source revealed, "She (Noom) is a loyal person to Trump, and she wants her voice to be heard. She wanted to ensure that she conveyed her loyalty." According to sources told to Axios, Noom had complained to others that she was being used as a scapegoat in this incident and repeatedly emphasized that she was only following the president's and Miller's instructions.
On local time the 24th, another immigration enforcement shooting occurred in Minnesota, resulting in the death of a 37-year-old American male citizen. Minneapolis police confirmed that the victim was a local resident, Alex Prentice, who worked as an emergency room nurse, and the police records indicated that he was an "American citizen" with a "legally valid gun permit." This shooting incident was the third case of federal agents shooting in Minnesota during anti-ICE protests this month. The incident further escalated tensions between the federal and local governments, and the protests continued to intensify.
AP reported that after Prentice was killed, Trump's attitude toward Democratic leaders in Minnesota suddenly softened, making a complete turn around. On the 26th, the Trump administration adjusted its regulatory approach to immigration affairs in Minnesota. Usually outspoken Trump, after talking with Democratic Governor Walz, softened his stance and said that the two now "agreed on the issue." This shift was particularly shocking, as Trump had previously vowed to "never compromise" on large-scale deportation of illegal immigrants during his 2024 campaign and frequently criticized Walz and other Minnesota Democrats, accusing them of resisting his immigration policies.
Original: toutiao.com/article/7600301935517909519/
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