During a CBS News interview at a Ford plant in Detroit, President Donald Trump discussed the recent fatal shooting of 37-year-old Renee Good by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in Minneapolis. The incident, which took place during a protest against immigration enforcement operations, unfolded when Good reportedly drove her vehicle at an agent while obstructing a roadway.
Correspondent Tony Dokoupil informed the President that the victim's father, Timothy Ganger, had been a supporter of his. Dokoupil then questioned President Trump about Ganger's sorrow over his daughter's death and the administration's portrayal of her as a domestic terrorist. In his response, President Trump expressed his sympathies while maintaining the stance that the federal agents acted appropriately given the circumstances.
President Trump noted that Good, under different circumstances, might have been a solid and wonderful person, but her behavior during the protest was extreme. He cited multiple angles of video footage that he had reviewed, some of which he described as showing particularly troubling aspects of Good's vehicular actions.
Shifting the focus, President Trump attributed the tragic incident to the border policies of his predecessor, asserting that such an event would not have occurred if former President Joe Biden hadn't allowed a significant number of illegal immigrants into the country. He underscored the challenges faced by ICE agents in removing individuals he labeled as murderers and killers who entered the U.S. during the prior administration.
The Department of Justice, aligning with the President's comments, announced on Tuesday that there would be no criminal civil rights investigation into Good's shooting at this time. This announcement came alongside reports from earlier in the week by Resist the Mainstream, stating that an FBI investigation into the incident remains ongoing, although attorneys in the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division are not currently participating.
Beyond the topic of the Minneapolis shooting, President Trump engaged in a tense dialogue with Dokoupil on various other contentious issues. The conversation touched on economic conditions, foreign policy toward Iran, and criticism of Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell. At points, the discussion became heated, with both individuals speaking over each other.
Dokoupil challenged the President on the continuing concerns of many Americans regarding elevated prices, despite the administration's proclamations of economic improvement. President Trump countered these concerns by referencing the problems he inherited, including crime, inflation, and the offshoring of businesses. He suggested that such issues would have been worse if Democrats had won the previous election.
On foreign policy, the President addressed Iran's reported plans to execute protesters, warning of "very strong action" against Tehran should they proceed with the reported hangings. Despite previous threats of military intervention from President Trump, reports indicate that a significant number of demonstrators may have been killed since the protests began in Iran. When asked if the executions would constitute crossing a red line, the President was not aware of the planned hangings but promised severe consequences if they transpired.
