President Donald Trump is suddenly talking about using “a softer touch” on immigration—and if you think this has nothing to do with the fact that federal agents killed two U.S. citizens in Minneapolis last month, I have a border wall to sell you.
WHAT’S GOING ON: In an interview with NBC News, Trump told anchor Tom Llamas that he “learned” something from the Minneapolis shootings. “I learned that maybe we could use a little bit of a softer touch,” he said. “But you still have to be tough.”
Translation: The optics of ICE agents killing American citizens on American soil are polling badly, and someone in the White House finally got through to him.
THE DETAILS: This rhetorical softening comes after federal agents shot and killed Renee Good and Alex Pretti—both 37, both U.S. citizens—in separate incidents in January. The administration’s initial response was, of course, to blame the victims. Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and other officials characterized the dead Americans as “domestic terrorists”—without evidence.
Video footage of both incidents contradicted the administration’s claims that the shootings were justified. At a January 20 briefing, Trump’s defense was that federal agents “make mistakes sometimes.” Real comforting stuff for anyone who might encounter ICE in their neighborhood.
BUT BUT BUT: Don’t confuse a tone shift with a policy change. Even while talking about a “softer touch,” Trump announced he’s withdrawing 700 federal immigration agents from Minnesota—framing it as leverage to get the state to “release prisoners” and hand over “murderers.” In the same breath, he repeated his thoroughly debunked claim that 25 million undocumented immigrants entered the country under Biden.
The actual number, according to Customs and Border Protection data: 7.4 million crossed outside legal checkpoints during the Biden administration. But why let facts get in the way of fearmongering?
OF COURSE: Trump is also feuding with Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, both Democrats who condemned the killings. Trump complained that he called them, “had great conversations,” and then watched them “ranting and raving out there. Literally as though a call wasn’t made.” Imagine thinking a phone call should buy silence after your agents killed two innocent people.
WHY IT MATTERS: When an administration kills American citizens and then pivots to softer messaging, it tells you exactly what they’re worried about: not the dead, but the political fallout. The “softer touch” language is damage control, not remorse. The deportation machine keeps running. The only thing that changed is the sales pitch.