President Trump indicated a possible change in tone toward Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz on Monday, describing what he called a productive conversation between the two leaders as tensions continue to rise in the state over federal immigration enforcement actions.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump said Walz reached out to request cooperation, characterizing the exchange as constructive.
“Governor Tim Walz called me with the request to work together with respect to Minnesota. It was a very good call, and we, actually, seemed to be on a similar wavelength,” Trump wrote.
Trump added that he directed border czar Tom Homan to follow up with the governor, emphasizing a focus on criminal enforcement.
“I told Governor Walz that I would have Tom Homan call him, and that what we are looking for are any and all Criminals that they have in their possession. The Governor, very respectfully, understood that, and I will be speaking to him in the near future,” he continued.
The comments mark a notable shift after several days in which administration officials had publicly blamed Walz for protests targeting Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents operating in Minnesota. The remarks also come as scrutiny of federal law enforcement actions in the state has intensified.
Tensions escalated sharply following the release of a video on Saturday showing an immigration agent shooting demonstrator Alex Pretti in the back. According to accounts surrounding the footage, Pretti had been filming officers and attempted to assist a woman who was being pepper-sprayed during an altercation. Pretti was also pepper-sprayed before being shot.
The incident has prompted criticism from both Democrats and Republicans, particularly regarding the administration’s initial response and discrepancies between the White House’s account and multiple videos circulating publicly. State officials, including Walz, have said federal agents prevented Minnesota authorities from assessing or investigating the situation in the immediate aftermath.
Trump said Walz welcomed the decision to send Homan to Minnesota and pointed to what he described as broader enforcement successes.
“He was happy that Tom Homan was going to Minnesota, and so am I! We have had such tremendous SUCCESS in Washington, D.C., Memphis, Tennessee, and New Orleans, Louisiana, and virtually every other place that we have ‘touched’ and, even in Minnesota, Crime is way down, but both Governor Walz and I want to make it better!” Trump wrote.
Saturday’s shooting followed another high-profile incident weeks earlier in which Renee Good, an unarmed woman, was shot by an ICE officer in Minneapolis. Together, the cases have intensified debate over federal immigration enforcement tactics in the state.
Walz and Trump have repeatedly clashed in recent weeks over the presence and actions of ICE agents in Minnesota. Speaking at a press conference on Sunday, Walz addressed voters who supported the administration, urging them to reconsider the situation.
“You’re allowed to decide at any point that you’re not with this anymore. If you voted for this administration — Heck, even if you thought Operation Metro Surge was a good idea, sounded like the thing to do a month ago — you’re still allowed to look at what’s happening here in Minnesota and say, ‘This isn’t what I voted for and this isn’t what I want,’” Walz said.
