Noem declines to retract ‘definition of domestic terrorism’ comments about Pretti during Senate hearing
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem arrives for the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing titled “Oversight of the Department of Homeland Security,” in Dirksen building on Tuesday, March 3, 2026. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
(WASHINGTON) — Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem faced questions about immigration enforcement operations as she testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday — refusing to apologize or retract her statements about a U.S. citizens shot and killed by federal law enforcement in Minneapolis as “the definition of domestic terrorism.”
When pressed by Sen. Dick Durbin, the top Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee, about why Noem labeled Alex Pretti, who was shot and killed by federal law enforcement in Minneapolis in January, a domestic terrorist without evidence, she would not admit she was wrong.
“We are working in those situations where there’s a tragic loss of life and that there is something that our agents are involved in, that we continue to deliver information,” she said.
Durbin then asked, “Is it so hard to say you were wrong?”
“I absolutely strive to provide factual information and will continue to do that,” Noem responded, adding that when the agency fails, they admit wrongdoing. Noem has yet to admit she has been wrong about how she characterized the Pretti shooting, as some have suggested.
Noem also said her characterization of Pretti — whose conduct she called following the shooting “the definition of domestic terrorism” without evidence — was based on information relayed to her in the hours after the incident.
Shortly after the shooting of Pretti, a Minneapolis Veterans Affairs ICU nurse, Noem drew criticism for insinuating he wanted to “massacre” law enforcement before the evidence and investigation was complete. Pretti was licensed to carry a handgun. Video from multiple angles showed that Pretti did not try to draw his gun from his waistband before or during the scuffle with federal agents.
Tuesday’s hearing marks the first time Noem is appearing before Congress after tensions in Minneapolis and the killing of Pretti as well as Renee Good, who was shot and killed by federal law enforcement in Minneapolis in January.
Two Senate Republicans have said Noem should be out of a job, and Democrats have called for her impeachment. President Donald Trump has repeatedly said he stands by Noem.
Later in Tuesday’s hearing, Noem said that there are no plans to deploy agents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement at the polling places in November after President Donald Trump recently doubled down on his controversial suggestion that Republicans “nationalize” elections, saying the “federal government should get involved” in elections.
“We have no plans to have ICE officers or law enforcement at polling locations. States are responsible for running their elections, and we’re giving them tools and mitigation efforts that they can utilize in order to make sure they maintain the integrity of those elections, and that individuals can trust their systems to ensure that their vote counts,” Noem said.
Noem’s appearance on Tuesday marks the first of two days she is set to testify on Capitol Hill. She will testify before the House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday.
Her testimony comes as some parts of Noem’s agency — from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to the Transportation Security Administration to the Coast Guard — are shut down amid a funding fight over Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Democrats have said they will fund the department only if changes are made to the agency in the wake of the shooting deaths of Good and Pretti.
US President Donald Trump speaks to members of the media on the South Lawn of the White House before boarding Marine One in Washington, DC, US, on Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2026. (Photographer: Kent Nishimura/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
(WASHINGTON) — President Donald Trump previewed a “more relaxed” approach from federal agents operating in Minnesota following two deadly shootings in Minneapolis in recent weeks, during an exclusive interview with ABC News’ Senior Political Correspondent Rachel Scott on Tuesday.
Trump has assigned White House “border czar” Tom Homan to lead the operation in Minnesota following fierce local and national backlash to violent incidents involving federal agents there.
Asked what would change with Homan now in charge, the president said “we can start doing maybe a little bit more relaxed” and “we’d like to finish the job and finish it well, and I think we can do it in a de-escalated form.”
The remarks appear to signal a shift in tone for Trump, who said just months ago that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids “haven’t gone far enough.” Trump and members of his administration had previously criticized both of the protesters who were killed — with the White House describing one as a “‘would-be assassin” — while also expressing sympathy for their families.
Those deaths came amid Operation Metro Surge, which has seen thousands of federal agents arrive in Minneapolis, where they’ve been tasked in part with detaining undocumented immigrants. That ongoing operation has been decried by local leaders, including the governor and mayor.
“Minnesota is a state that believes in the rule of law and in the dignity of all people,” Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz wrote in an Op-Ed published in the Wall Street Journal earlier this week. “We know that true public safety comes from trust, respect and shared purpose, not from intimidation or political theater.”
In response to a legal challenge from state officials, who are seeking a temporary halt to the operation, a federal judge on Monday ordered the Trump administration to address the motives behind ICE’s immigration enforcement effort in the state. The judge ordered the government to file the supplemental brief by Wednesday at 6 p.m. ET.
The president said conversations with Walz, who he has lambasted repeatedly for his leadership, were going “very well,” before he turned to praise Homan as “a great guy. He’s a different type. He’s a strong guy, but he gets along with people.”
Walz said on Monday he had spoken on the phone with Trump, a conversation the governor characterized as “productive.” Walz said he “told him we need impartial investigations of the Minneapolis shootings involving federal agents, and that we need to reduce the number of federal agents in Minnesota.” He said Trump had “agreed to look into” reducing the number of agents in the state.
Asked to clarify what a de-escalation in Minnesota might look like, Trump said in the interview that he wanted “people to appreciate the fact that we’ve taken thousands of criminals out, and because of that, their crime rate has gone down, which is a great thing.”
“A lot of the hardest work is already done,” he continued. “You know, we’ve taken out thousands of stone-cold criminals, including murderers. And I think that’s what the people of Minnesota want. That’s what the people of the country want. That’s why I got elected.”
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, a Democrat, has repeatedly said that he and his constituents want the federal agents to leave.
“Minneapolis will continue to cooperate with state and federal law enforcement on real criminal investigations — but we will not participate in unconstitutional arrests of our neighbors or enforce federal immigration law,” Frey said on Monday after a phone call with Trump.
Homan on Tuesday met separately with Walz and with Frey. The mayor said he had “shared with Mr. Homan the serious negative impacts this operation has had on Minneapolis and surrounding communities, as well as the strain it has placed on our local police officers.”
As to when federal agents might leave Minnesota, Trump said, “I don’t know about soon but at some point, when we have all the criminals out, they’re going to leave. It’s a positive thing, not a negative thing.”
Referring to what he called “very bad and dangerous people” in Minnesota, Trump continued, “We know where a lot of them are. And what we’re asking the governor to do is hand over the criminals that they have. It’ll make the job much easier and faster.”
The president also hinted at further federal operations elsewhere. “There will be a time coming in the not too distant future, then we go on to something else,” he said, also claiming successes in ongoing operations in Memphis, Chicago, Louisiana and Washington, D.C.
“We always continue,” Trump said. “I don’t think you can just go cold turkey and go out. I think there’s a continuation.”
“We have a lot of cities and areas that want us very badly,” the president said. “So we’re going to be choosing some new ones. We have a very — we have an unlimited appetite for fixing crime in cities. They seem to be all Democrat-run.”
The president’s focus on what he has called a “migrant crime epidemic” has focused on Democratic-run major cities. Local mayors, governors and other politicians have disputed Trump’s assertion that the deployment of federal agents or the National Guard is necessary to curb supposed criminality there.
Trump dismissed criticism of federal operations in Minneapolis related to Saturday’s deadly shooting of 37-year-old nurse Alex Pretti, which sparked nationwide protests and demands for a full investigation. Pretti was carrying a pistol in a waist-level holster and was disarmed by federal agents before being shot multiple times.
The National Rifle Association was one of several gun-rights organizations that issued statements appearing to condemn comments made by officials, including Trump, after the shooting. Trump following the second deadly shooting in Minnesota described it as an “unfortunate incident,” but also said, “You can’t have guns. You can’t walk in with guns.” The NRA said it “unequivocally believes that all law-abiding citizens have a right to keep and bear arms anywhere they have a legal right to be.”
Minnesota officials confirmed Pretti had a license to carry a concealed weapon. Video evidence so far has not shown that he drew or reached for his weapon during the altercation with federal agents.
Asked about the backlash from gun-rights groups, Trump said, “Well, I haven’t seen the statements but I think when you have a fully loaded gun and two magazines, that’s not great.”
Trump has championed gun rights for years, including the right of people to protest while carrying weapons. But he also repeatedly criticized Pretti for being armed.
Gun Owners of America, another gun-rights group, responded by saying, “Peaceful protests while armed isn’t radical — it’s American. The First and Second Amendments protect those rights, and they always have.”
Trump also praised Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, who is facing calls to resign after the series of violent incidents involving DHS personnel. “I think she’s done a fantastic job, she’s strong,” the president said.
Sens. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., and Lisa Murkowski, R-Ark., on Tuesday became the first Republican senators to call for Noem to lose her job.
In response, Trump branded both senators “losers.”
“They’re terrible senators. One is gone and the other should be gone,” Trump said in the interview. “What Murkowski says — she’s always against the Republicans anyway. And Tillis decided to drop out. So you know, he lost his voice once he did that.”
Among Trump’s most vociferous Minnesota opponents is Rep. Ilhan Omar, a Democrat who since 2019 has represented a district of Minneapolis. The president has repeatedly criticized Omar publicly.
During a town hall in Minneapolis on Tuesday, a man charged the podium Omar was giving remarks, appeared to squirt a liquid at her and was then tackled to the ground by a security guard after a brief struggle.
The man, identified as 55-year-old Anthony Kazmierczak, was arrested and booked into Hennepin County Jail on suspicion of third-degree assault, Minneapolis police said.
In his first comments on the attack, Trump told ABC News’ Scott of Omar, “I don’t think about her. I think she’s a fraud. I really don’t think about that.”
And, without providing evidence, Trump went on to accuse Omar of staging the attack, saying, “She probably had herself sprayed, knowing her.”
Asked if he had seen the video, the president said, “I haven’t seen it. No, no. I hope I don’t have to bother.”
In a post on X regarding Tuesday’s incident, Omar said, “I’m ok. I’m a survivor so this small agitator isn’t going to intimidate me from doing my work. I don’t let bullies win. Grateful to my incredible constituents who rallied behind me. Minnesota strong.”
ABC News’ John Parkinson contributed to this report.
Alleged scammers charged with planting a malware in ATM’s around the country. (DOJ)
(WASHINGTON) — The Justice Department announced Monday it has charged 31 more individuals in a scheme that allegedly stole millions from ATMs in the United States.
Many of those charged are allegedly members of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua, according to the Justice Department. More than 50 people have been charged in the case so far.
Court documents filed in Nebraska allege that members of the group scammed ATMs by deploying a malware known as Ploutus. Members of the conspiracy allegedly recruited members of Tren de Arauga to deploy the malware in ATMs around the country.
Groups would first see if there was a law enforcement response when an ATM was tampered with and then deploy the malware through a thumb drive in a scheme that federal authorities call “jackpotting,” according to the Justice Department.
The malware would issue unauthorized commands to the system and force withdrawals of cash, according to the Justice Department.
“A large ring of criminal aliens allegedly engaged in a nationwide conspiracy to enrich themselves and the TdA terrorist organization by ripping off American citizens. After committing bank robbery, fraud, and other serious crimes, they will be vigorously prosecuted and held accountable for their crimes,” Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said. “The Justice Department’s Joint Task Force Vulcan will not stop until it completely dismantles and destroys TdA and other foreign terrorists that import chaos to America.”
The case was made by the Homeland Security Task Force in coordination with state and local authorities around the country.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio listens as President Donald Trump addresses the media during a news conference at his Mar-a-Lago club on Jan. 3, 2026, in Palm Beach, Fla. Joe Raedle/Getty Images
(WASHINGTON) — Who is running Venezuela and how?
Confusion continued Monday amid seemingly contradictory messages from President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio about how the U.S. is dealing with the country after American forces captured dictator Nicolas Maduro over the weekend.
Trump on Sunday night doubled down on his assertion that the U.S. was “in charge” of the South American nation, after first proclaiming on Saturday the U.S. would “run the country until such time as we can do a safe, proper, and judicious transition.”
“We’re dealing with the people. We’re dealing with the people that just got sworn in. And don’t ask me who’s in charge, because I’ll give you an answer, and it’ll be very controversial,” Trump told reporters on Sunday as he flew back to Washington from Florida.
“What does that mean?” a reporter asked him.
“It means we’re in charge,” said Trump, who talked about extracting oil riches and potentially putting boots on the ground.
The president’s comments appear to be at odds with the less definitive characterization Secretary of State Marco Rubio made earlier Sunday during an interview on ABC’s “This Week.” Rubio is one of the Cabinet officials Trump said would “run” the country.
While Trump stated plainly that his administration was in charge and running things in Venezuela, Rubio was more circumspect, suggesting the U.S. would use economic leverage to impose its will.
“What we are running is the direction that this is going to move moving forward. And that is, we have leverage. This leverage we are using. And we intend to use. We started using already,” Rubio told ABC’s George Stephanopoulos, referring to the U.S. quarantine on sanctioned oil tankers.
Rubio, on NBC’s “Meet the Press” on Sunday, said the Trump administration control plan relates to policy changes.
“But it is running this policy. And the goal of the policy is to see changes in Venezuela that are beneficial to the United States first and foremost, because that’s who we work for, but also we believe beneficial for the people of Venezuela who have suffered tremendously. We want a better future for Venezuela,” Rubio said.
U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz echoed Rubio on Monday, telling the United Nations Security Council that the U.S. is “not occupying a country.”
“As Secretary Rubio has said, there is no war against Venezuela or its people. We are not occupying a country. This was a law enforcement operation in furtherance of lawful indictments that have existed for decades. The United States arrested a narco-trafficker who is now going to stand trial in the United States in accordance with the rule of law for the crimes he’s committed against our people for 15 years,” Waltz said.
Waltz and other administration officials have described the capture of Maduro as a law enforcement operation that was facilitated by the U.S. military.
Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were captured by U.S. forces early Saturday in the capital of Caracas.
Trump, speaking in-depth on the operation from his Mar-a-Lago club that morning, said the U.S. would “make Venezuela great again.” American companies would soon start selling the country’s vast oil reserves, he said.
But when pressed about who exactly would be running Venezuela, Trump said that it was some of the people “behind” him, which also included Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
On Saturday, a U.S. official gave more details about what the U.S.-run Venezuela would look like, saying that top administration officials would “continue to diplomatically engage with those remaining in the Venezuelan government” and also engage with oil executives as they begin to expand industry there.
Maduro and his wife made their initial appearance in Manhattan federal court on Monday to face federal charges, including narco-terrorism conspiracy and conspiracy to import cocaine. They pleaded not guilty. Maduro declared he is “innocent” and “still president.”
Meanwhile in Venezuela, the country’s vice president, Delcy Rodriguez, was sworn in as the interim president on Monday.
Trump on Saturday said Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, who won the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize, didn’t have the “respect” to govern the country.
He also had said that Rodriguez was cooperating with the U.S., a claim she appeared to dispute in an address to Venezuelans when she called for Maduro’s immediate release.
Asked on Sunday night to clarify where he stands with Rodriguez, Trump said: “I don’t have to tell you. I just say that she will face a situation probably worse than Maduro, because, you know, Maduro gave up immediately.”
In a more conciliatory message on Sunday night, Rodriguez said she would “prioritise moving towards balanced and respectful international relations between the United States and Venezuela, and between Venezuela and other countries in the region, premised on sovereign equality and non-interference.”
“President Donald Trump, our peoples and our region deserve peace and dialogue, not war. This has always been President Nicolas Maduro’s message, and it is the message of all of Venezuela right now. This is the Venezuela I believe in and have dedicated my life to,” Rodriguez wrote in a social media post.
ABC News’ Mike Pappano and Brianna Sanchez contributed to this report.
