Poll exhibits majority of Americans don’t imagine Trump admin’s account of Alex Pretti capturing

A clear majority of Americans say they do not trust the Trump administration’s explanation for the fatal shooting of Minneapolis nurse Alex Pretti.

A new Quinnipiac University poll reveals deep public skepticism over the shooting, which has been ruled a homicide by a medical examiner in Minnesota, and, along with the circumstances around the fatal shooting of the mother of three, Renee Good, adds further pressure for an independent investigation.

Sixty‑one percent of registered voters say the administration has not given an honest account of the incident, while just 25 percent believe it has.

The divide is sharply partisan, with 93 per cent of Democrats and 65 per cent of independents saying they don’t trust the Trump administration’s version of events, compared with 60 per cent of Republicans who say they do.

The shooting, carried out by federal agents more than a week ago, has triggered widespread outrage and calls for accountability. Eight out of ten voters say an independent investigation is necessary to determine what happened.

“We need more facts and an independent investigation is the way to get them, say voters who cast doubt on the honesty of the account of how Alex Pretti ended up dead on a Minneapolis street,” Quinnipiac polling analyst Tim Malloy said.

The poll also found that 78 per cent of voters have seen a video of the shooting, which shows the moment Pretti was killed. Sixty‑two per cent said the shooting was not justified, while 22 per cent said they believe it was.

The fallout has extended to the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees the federal agents involved, with 59 per cent of voters saying the recent shootings in Minneapolis reflect broader problems within the agency, not isolated incidents.

Meanwhile, public approval of ICE’s enforcement of immigration laws has also dropped to 34 percent, down from 40 percent in mid‑January.

A majority – 60 percent – now say ICE should withdraw from Minneapolis entirely.

The poll reveals considerable dissatisfaction with DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, with 58 per cent of voters saying she should be removed from her post. Just 34 per cent said she should remain.

“It’s a strong no‑confidence vote for the beleaguered top cop at Homeland Security,” Malloy said, adding that her “job performance is considered dismal enough by voters that she should be let go”.

Following Pretti’s shooting, Noem was asked to clarify if Pretti had brandished a gun and claimed agents fired “defensive shots” while trying to disarm Pretti.

“They responded according to their training, and took action to defend the officer’s life and those of the public around him. And, I don’t know of any peaceful protester that shows up with a gun and ammunition rather than a sign,” she said.

But Minnesota Governor Tim Walz said the Trump administration’s version of what occurred was “nonsense” and “lies”.

The Quinnipiac poll underscores the mounting national pressure on the administration, which is coming not just from Democratic quarters but also from Republican critics of Trump’s heavy-handed crackdown on illegal immigration in various parts of the country.

Over the weekend, Oklahoma’s Republican governor, Kevin Stitt, suggested it may not be Trump himself but his advisors who are to blame, telling CNN, “He is a dealmaker, and he’s getting bad advice right now.”

The National Rifle Association has also called for an investigation into the killing of Pretti.

“Responsible public voices should be awaiting a full investigation, not making generalisations and demonising law-abiding citizens,” the NRA said in a statement.

Senator David McCormick, a Republican from Pennsylvania, also carefully sought to turn down the dial on the tensions in Minneapolis, saying, “I also agree with the NRA and others — we need a full investigation into the tragedy in Minneapolis. We need all the facts.”

A Trump‑critical Republican group, the Reagan Caucus, last week condemned what it called the administration’s “paramilitary” use of ICE following the Pretti shooting. The group, which has backed some of Trump’s foreign‑policy moves, said the domestic law‑enforcement operation represented federal overreach.

Time reported that support for abolishing ICE is now “surging among Republicans”, and highlighted a YouGov poll taken on the day of Pretti’s shooting, which showed 19 per cent of Republicans and 48 per cent of American adults across the political spectrum supported the abolition of ICE.

Source: independent.co.uk