Following the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti and national protests, President Trump sends Tom Homan to Minnesota while Governor Gavin Newsom criticizes the administration’s response.
California Governor Gavin Newsom has mocked Donald Trump’s decision to bench his top trench-coated immigration enforcer in favor of his border czar as the president attempts to “diffuse the chaos” in Minneapolis.
On Monday, amid growing national outrage over yet another U.S. citizen being killed by federal agents, the president announced he would send Tom Homan to Minneapolis to try to de-escalate tensions.
The move effectively sidelined Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, who has come under fire in recent days for her portrayal of the victim, Alex Pretti, as a domestic terrorist intent on causing harm – despite video evidence to the contrary.
Speaking about the changes on Monday, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed that Customs and Border Patrol commander Greg Bovino had also been benched, telling reporters: “Mr Homan will be the main point of contact on the ground in Minneapolis.”
The 55-year-old commander and hundreds of Border Patrol agents will leave the city, some as early as Tuesday, while ICE officers are expected to remain on the ground.
Trump’s attempt to recalibrate underscores the frustration within the White House that his signature election policy has now become a major source of outrage.
But Newsom ridiculed the personnel shake-up, writing on X: “In an effort to de-escalate, the Trump Admin is benching the Nazi-Cosplayer for Mr. Bribes.”
The comment was a reference to the fact Homan was investigated by the FBI in 2024 for allegedly accepting a $50,000 cash bribe from undercover agents posing as businessmen seeking future government contracts.
However, the Department of Justice closed the probe after Trump won the election, citing insufficient evidence.
