Tom Homan announces drawdown plan for Minnesota agents, then Trump says something completely different on the red carpet

Border Czar Tom Homan tried to calm the situation in Minnesota by announcing a plan to reduce federal agents in the area. However, President Trump shut down the idea just hours later. When reporters asked if he would pull agents back from the state, Trump clearly said “No, no. Not all.” This quick change completely reversed the White House’s public effort to reduce tensions with state and local leaders.

The president’s answer came after he attended a film screening at the Kennedy Center. When a reporter asked directly if the administration would pull back immigration enforcement agents from Minnesota, Trump said they need to “keep our country safe.” His comment that he was “Not all” pulling back agents completely went against Homan’s efforts earlier that day.

Homan, who is now running operations after the administration removed former Border Patrol Commander-at-Large Greg Bovino, held a press conference in Minneapolis. According to Mediaite, Homan said agents needed to improve their behavior after two deadly shootings in the city. He then announced a “drawdown plan” that would reduce the number of agents in the area if certain goals were met.

Homan’s plan aimed for targeted enforcement over aggressive tactics

Homan’s goal was likely to focus on more specific enforcement efforts while moving away from aggressive tactics. Local leaders and reports said some federal agents and Border Patrol chief Greg Bovino had already started leaving Minnesota this week as a sign of good faith. It appears President Trump left Homan exposed by letting him announce this plan only to reject it moments later.

The Twin Cities area has been tense ever since President Trump sent a large number of federal agents into the state. The situation reached a terrible point last weekend after federal agents shot and killed Alex Pretti. The White House faced strong criticism from both parties after Pretti’s death, especially after Bovino and Secretary Kristi Noem falsely claimed agents acted in self-defense. Video evidence showed agents removing Pretti’s legally-permitted firearm before shooting him ten times.

Local leaders are still struggling with the administration’s presence. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz said he was only “skeptically optimistic” about the path forward after Homan connected with him, noting there hadn’t been any progress beyond “a change of tone.” The administration has been applying similar pressure tactics internationally, including Trump’s nuclear warnings to Iran.

Walz also didn’t hold back when discussing Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, saying she “should go back to South Dakota, not have any dogs, and just kind of ride things out,” referring to Noem’s admission that she killed an untrainable dog.

President Trump renewed his verbal attacks on local officials, writing on Truth Social that Mayor Frey was “PLAYING WITH FIRE!” after Frey stated that his city doesn’t enforce federal immigration law. The president has shown a pattern of applying pressure on allies and opponents alike, recently criticizing South Korea over defense agreements.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt placed the blame for the violence on local officials. She stated that “nobody in the White House, including President Trump, wants to see people getting hurt or killed in America’s streets,” but quickly added, “Let’s be clear… This tragedy occurred as a result of a deliberate and hostile resistance by Democrat leaders in Minnesota.”