President Trump offered a strong defense regarding the fatal shooting of Renee Good by a federal immigration officer in Minneapolis, claiming the victim’s actions immediately before the incident were “pretty tough,” according to The Hill. The comments came as the administration faces intense scrutiny over the actions of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers.
The president spoke to Tony Dokoupil, stating that while he thought Good, who was 37, was likely a decent person, her behavior in the moments leading up to her death was concerning. “I would bet you that she, under normal circumstances, was a very solid, wonderful person. But her actions were pretty tough,” the president said.
It’s clear President Trump believes the incident isn’t as cut-and-dry as some might think. He suggested the video evidence surrounding the confrontation is open to interpretation. “When you look at that tape, it can be viewed two [different] ways, I guess,” he explained. However, he quickly added that certain angles showing the vehicle pulling away are “very, very bad.”
The incident is fueling serious debate over the role and actions of ICE
The fatal interaction occurred when ICE officer Jonathan Ross shot and killed Good. We know from video footage taken by Ross that Good was sitting in her red Honda, which was parked perpendicularly across the street. As Ross walked alongside the vehicle to record her license plate, Good told him, “That’s fine, dude. I’m not mad at you.”
Things escalated quickly mere seconds later. Multiple masked officers approached the vehicle, demanding that Good exit the car repeatedly. One officer actually grabbed the driver’s side door handle. At that point, Good backed up the vehicle. Following the urging of her partner, she turned the wheel and drove forward. Ross, who had moved in front of the car, then fired multiple shots. The car accelerated, reportedly making contact with the officer before crashing into another parked car down the street.
The administration’s defense of Officer Ross has been incredibly forceful. Officials insist that Ross acted purely in self-defense. They claim Good obstructed federal law enforcement operations by blocking the road, and they’ve even gone so far as to label her actions “domestic terrorism” for supposedly “weaponizing” her vehicle. Furthermore, ICE has pointed out that Ross was injured previously in June when he was dragged by a car during an apprehension.
This shooting has sparked protests against President Trump’s wide-ranging immigration crackdown, and we’re seeing Democratic lawmakers renew their calls for limiting the agency. The administration has been deploying ICE officers to major metropolitan areas like Chicago, Los Angeles, and Washington, D.C.
Despite the backlash, the president remains completely committed to his immigration stance. He stood by his policies on Tuesday, emphasizing that ICE “is working very hard” and that their duties are being made “very, very difficult.”
Published: Jan 14, 2026 10:30 am