"White House officials sought to rapidly distance Donald Trump and top officials from their initial portrayals of the man fatally shot by federal officials in Minnesota as a gunman, as they faced a deepening backlash after video footage was widely seen to undercut their assertions. The move came as Trump advisers appeared to realize that the caustic portrayals of the man, Alex Pretti, who was reportedly licensed to carry a gun, had turned the killing into an even larger political liability for the president."
"Over the weekend, senior administration officials including Stephen Miller, the deputy chief of staff, called the victim a domestic terrorist who tried to assassinate law enforcement, while Kristi Noem, the homeland security secretary, accused him of perpetrating the definition of domestic terrorism. The characterizations were undercut by video footage that showed Pretti was shot in the back roughly 10 times after being tackled to the ground by a group of US border patrol agents whom he had been filming, and disarmed of his gun."
"At a briefing on Monday, Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, sidestepped questions about the remarks against Pretti and insisted the administration would not comment pending the outcome of multiple investigations into the shooting. I have not heard the president characterize Mr Pretti in that way, Leavitt said. However, I have heard the president say he wants to let the facts and the investigation lead itself."
White House officials moved quickly to distance President Trump and senior aides from earlier portrayals of Alex Pretti as a gunman and domestic terrorist after video footage contradicted those assertions. Senior administration figures, including Stephen Miller and Kristi Noem, initially labeled Pretti a domestic terrorist and accused him of attempting to assassinate law enforcement. Video footage showed Pretti was shot roughly ten times in the back after being tackled, filmed by and disarmed of his gun by a group of US border patrol agents. Karoline Leavitt declined to comment pending investigations and said she had not heard the president characterize Pretti that way. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche rejected comparisons to the legal definition of domestic terrorism. The administration’s positions shifted rapidly amid waning support for ICE and border patrol tactics in Washington.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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