Return to Transcripts main page

The Situation Room

37-Year-Old ICU Nurse Alex Pretti Killed by Federal Agent in Minneapolis; Trump: I am Sending Border Czar Tim Homan to Minnesota; Hearing Today in Suit Over Evidence in Alex Pretti Shooting; U.S. Carrier Strike Group Now in Middle East Region; Multiple DHS Officials Furious Over Handling of Shooting. Aired 10-10:30a ET

Aired January 26, 2026 - 10:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

[10:00:00]

WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: Happening now, breaking news, uncharted territory in Minneapolis following the shooting death of Alex Pretti, an ICU nurse by a federal agent.

And just in, President Trump now says he's sending Border Czar Tom Homan to Minnesota tonight.

Plus, devastating damage, more than 800,000 customers are without power after a historic winter storm blankets a swath of the United States in ice and snow.

Welcome to our viewers here in the United States and around the world. I'm Wolf Blitzer. Pamela Brown is off.

You're in The SITUATION ROOM.

ANNOUNCER: This is CNN Breaking News.

BLITZER: We're following breaking news this morning.

Protests overnight following the second fatal shooting of a U.S. citizen by federal agents in Minnesota just this month.

Soon a judge is set to hear arguments on the federal immigration crackdown in Minnesota. This after 37-year-old Alex Pretti, an ICU nurse at the Minneapolis VA Medical Center, was shot and killed by a Border Patrol agent on Saturday.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HEATHER ZIELINSKI, FRIEND OF ALEX PRETTI: There are going to be times when I pick up the phone and I'm not going to be able to get a hold of his. He was standing up for that woman that he was trying to help up. He was trying to help her get out of that situation.

Could they have not killed my friend? Yes, they could have not killed my friend. They did not need to kill my friend.

(END VIDEO CLIP) BLITZER: This morning, Trump administration officials are doubling down on their claims that Pretti is responsible for his own death. President Trump tells the Wall Street Journal that his administration is, quote, "... reviewing everything and will come out with a determination," end quote. The president also noted that he could eventually pull federal law enforcement officers out of Minnesota, saying, and I'm quoting him again, "At some point, we will leave. We've done -- they've done a phenomenal job.

Also new this morning, the president said he is sending his border czar, Tom Homan, to Minneapolis, saying in a social media post, "Tom is tough, but fair and will report directly to me," end quote.

I want to bring in CNN White House correspondent Alanya Treene. Alayna, the president says border czar Tom Homan is headed to Minnesota. What more can you tell us?

ALAYNA TREENE, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Yes, this is a significant development, Wolf, for a number of reasons. One is that Homan, as the president pointed out in his post, has not been on the ground really leading these ICE up operations in Minnesota thus far. And really, there's questions about what this actually means for those who have been the face of these operations, particularly when it comes to Minneapolis, and that is Gregory Bovino.

He is the border patrol commander at large and also the secretary of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem. They are the ones who have been out there every day publicly defending, aggressively defending, I should say, the ICE operations and the ICE officers involved in not only the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti on Saturday, but we also know the fatal shooting of Renee Good earlier this month.

Now, I should also point out that Homan is someone who is very well respected within the DHS. He is someone who has served at high levels and dealt with ICE for several years, even before President Trump took office. But he also has somewhat different views, I think, when it comes to Secretary Noem.

[10:05:00]

He's not as hardline, I should say, when it comes to some of the immigration crackdown and kind of carrying out President Trump's agenda. He does have a very good relationship, I should note, with President Trump. Less good of a relationship with Noem, as the two have kind of been at odds at times over the president's immigration agenda and the crackdown that they have been carrying out.

I do want to read to you -- we've got a little more context, though, you know, from Karoline Leavitt. She had wrote this morning that he is going to be managing the ICE operations on the ground, but also that he would be working and coordinating with those who are leading the fraud investigation in Minnesota. So we're trying to get more clarity on what that actually means.

We did see Noem post about this, as well. Noem had wrote that this is good news for peace, safety, and accountability in Minneapolis. Saying, I have worked closely with Tom over the last year, and he has been a major asset to our team.

Look, this is all going to be, I think, one of the key questions, of course, is what this is going to look like moving forward, whether Homan and going in is a larger change in strategy, and if the president is doing this as a way to potentially sideline some of those who have been on the ground.

There is a press briefing, Wolf, at 1 p.m. A lot of these questions, of course, are going to be poised to the press secretary directly.

BLITZER: We'll see what she says. Alayna Treene, thank you very, very much for that.

Joining us now to discuss what's going on, CNN senior law enforcement analyst and former FBI deputy director, Andrew McCabe. Andy, thanks so much for joining us. The president, as you know, is sending his boarders, our Tom Homan to Minneapolis in the wake of this second deadly shooting by ICE officials. What does this move indicate to you?

ANDY MCCABE, CNN SENIOR LAW ENFORCEMENT ANALYST: Well, I think, Wolf, it's maybe the first sign that we've had so far that the White House perceives that what's happening in Minneapolis is not helpful for them, and that a -- I'm not going to say a change in leadership, but maybe a slightly different leadership presence is necessary on the ground. I think it's a good move if it takes Gregory Bovino out of the spotlight and away from the public statement role.

But again, I would caution Mr. Homan that what we need in Minneapolis, what the entire country needs to see here is a greater degree of transparency and honesty, because that is what this administration's comments about the Alex Pretti killing, about the Renee Good killing and everything that's going on there, it is that lack of transparency and the blatant dishonesty is what's really pushed the public to the frustration point that they're at.

BLITZER: Because to me, Andy, and I'm sure to many others, it seems to suggest that the president is losing confidence in his federal -- in the federal leadership that's already there in Minneapolis.

MCCABE: I think that's an accurate analysis, and he should lose confidence in those leaders. They have created essentially a disaster for him. They've victimized the citizens of Minneapolis. They've absolutely lost any semblance of trust that they had with the general public and with the state and local law enforcement community.

So I'm not sure that the leadership team that's on the ground in Minneapolis for the feds is even capable of riding the ship and, you know, turning this thing around. So they definitely need someone else who's going to be able to influence the situation and speak on their behalf.

BLITZER: The president in the social media statement said Tom Homan is tough but fair. Do you believe it's possible that Homan breaks with the Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and other Trump administration officials on what led up to the shooting of Alex Pretti? MCCABE: I think it's unlikely that we'll see him come out and directly contradict the misstatements that have already been made. But what we might see from Mr. Homan is an emphasis on the investigative posture going forward. We've heard a lot from Todd Blanche, the deputy attorney general, from Kristi Noem, from Greg Bovino, about the fact that they're investigating.

But we have no details as to who's investigating whether it's an internal investigation for potential misconduct or whether it's actually a criminal investigation. So Mr. Homan would be well -- would be getting off on the right foot if he would become more transparent with the public about exactly what steps the federal government is taking to determine the possibility of wrongdoing in this terrible tragedy.

BLITZER: Andrew McCabe, thanks as usual for joining us.

MCCABE: Thank you.

BLITZER: I want to go live right now to CNN law enforcement correspondent Whitney Wild, who's also in Minneapolis for us. Whitney, there are two key hearings scheduled for today over Minneapolis ICE operations and evidence from the shooting of Alex Pretti.

[10:10:00]

Walk us through what we're expected to see today and what it all means.

WHITNEY WILD, CNN LAW ENFORCEMENT CORRESPONDENT: Well this hearing that is happening right now, we know that the judge has just taken the bench. This is this first hearing where the state of Minnesota is suing the Trump administration saying that this immigration crackdown, which DHS says is the largest immigration crackdown ever, goes above and beyond what is permissible under the law. They say it is so invasive, it is so aggressive, that it amounts to an infringement on the state of Minnesota's sovereignty.

Again, that case happening right now, this is a critical hearing where the state of Minnesota is asking for a temporary restraining order to stop Operation Metro Surge here. Later today, there is a second hearing where local officials here are asking a judge to effectively prevent federal officials from tampering or destroying evidence in the case of Alex Pretti. So we know that there was a temporary restraining order issued on Saturday that demanded that federal officials do not destroy or alter evidence at all.

The Trump administration saying plainly they would never do that, and basically saying they were insulted by even the insinuation that they would do that. That hearing is later today. Here's more from Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison on the significance of the question over handling evidence and the importance of preserving it so that local officials can conduct an independent investigation for themselves.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) KEITH ELLISON, MINNESOTA ATTORNEY GENERAL: This is not a rash decision for us to go to court and to seek a temporary restraining order from a judge to preserve evidence and prevent the destruction of evidence. I don't care if you're conservative, liberal, or whatever, but you should at least be in a position of conserving evidence in a homicide, and to have to go get an order from a judge to preserve that evidence is extraordinary and should alarm everyone who believes in equal justice under the law.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WILD: These are novel legal questions that may not be answered today, but we are watching very closely to find out when these federal judges here in the Twin Cities are going to issue their opinions, Wolf. But certainly, these are, as I said, novel approaches that are really in uncharted territory. Back to you.

BLITZER: All right. Whitney Wild in Minneapolis for us. Thank you very, very much.

Still ahead, CNN's brand new reporting from inside the Department of Homeland Security. How some officials are now reacting to that deadly shooting in Minneapolis.

Plus, there's breaking news coming into THE SITUATION ROOM from the Middle East, where one U.S. aircraft carrier battle group has just arrived, all while President Trump is weighing his options for Iran. Stay with us. Lots going on. You're in THE SITUATION ROOM.

[10:15:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Breaking news. Israel has recovered the body of its last hostage in Gaza. This is Ran Gvili, an Israeli police officer who was killed by Hamas on October 7th, 2023, and then taken to Gaza.

This means that for the first time since 2014, there are no Israeli hostages in Gaza. Israel says the full opening of the Rafah crossing and advancing to the second phase of the Gaza peace plan was conditional on all of the living and dead Israeli hostages being returned.

There's more breaking news coming into THE SITUATION ROOM.

The USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group is now in the Indian Ocean, putting it a lot closer to possibly assisting in any possible U.S. operations targeting Iran. President Trump is considering options for striking Iran, although there's no indication that he has made any final decision.

Joining us now here in THE SITUATION ROOM is CNN national security reporter Zachary Cohen. So, Zach, how significant is this?

ZACHARY COHEN, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY REPORTER: Yes, Wolf, it's definitely significant, as it brings additional military capabilities into U.S. Central Command's area of responsibility, which includes the Middle East. And obviously, it adds to Donald Trump's list of options for potential military strikes if he decides to ultimately follow through with that threat. Now, we obviously saw about two weeks ago, President Donald Trump appeared very close to ordering military strikes against Iran, but seeming to pull back at the last moment, in part because he was urged by various allies, including Israel, not to go through with the strikes at that time.

Now, obviously, he's moved this additional carrier strike group into the region over that two-week span, providing additional military options again, but also providing defensive capabilities for U.S. service members who are already in the region. There's thousands of U.S. troops already in the Middle East stationed there permanently. And this also comes at a time when Iran has really been ramping up its rhetoric against the United States.

And as that death toll of protesters in Iran continues to climb as part of its crackdown on protesters there, one human rights group estimating over 5,000 protesters were killed by the Iranian regime, and there's over 17,000 deaths that are still being reviewed by that rights groups. And some say that those are conservative estimates. And you may remember, too, what Donald Trump wanted to see about two weeks ago is the killing to stop.

So far, there haven't been really any public displays of killing by the Iranian regime since then. But Donald Trump making it very clear that he was leaving that option for military force on the table and that he would continue to watch the Iranian regime over this time span.

[10:20:00]

BLITZER: What jumps out at me is you say that Israel was among those opposing a U.S. military strike right now on Iran. Israel of course sees Iran as a potential major threat to its very existence. Why would Israel oppose the U.S. striking Iran?

COHEN: Yes, Wolf, about two weeks ago, our reporting was Iran opposed the strikes because they felt they didn't have the defensive capabilities, the missile defense capabilities in hand to defend against potential Iranian retaliation. Also worrying that a limited strike by the U.S. wouldn't topple the Iranian regime and thus accomplish Israel's objective in a joint military operation.

BLITZER: So Israel was worried that it didn't have the air defense capabilities potentially if Iran started launching missiles?

COHEN: Absolutely, and that's something that this additional carrier strike group could potentially provide as well for Israel in addition to U.S. forces that are already in the Middle East.

BLITZER: An important point. Thanks very much, Zach, for that.

And there's other news we're following this morning. We have new CNN reporting coming in right now that the handling of the shooting in Minneapolis is causing widespread concern and frustration among homeland security officials, including right here in Washington.

CNN correspondent Priscilla Alvarez is joining us. She's with me in THE SITUATION ROOM. Priscilla, what more do we know about this?

PRISCELLA ALVAREZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Wolf, over the course of the weekend, homeland security officials were also absorbing the videos of this deadly shooting on Saturday, and they were frustrated and concerned not only what they were seeing, but also at the public response from the Trump administration. These are officials who are keenly aware of the reputational harm that they are enduring and are afraid of the long-term consequences of that as they continue to execute on the president's immigration enforcement agenda. And just as the American public was doing, they couldn't square what they were seeing in these videos with what the Trump administration was saying publicly about it.

For example, the secretary saying in the moments after that a weapon was brandished and that this was an individual who wanted to massacre law enforcement. And the competing narratives here, these officials feel, is a disservice to the department and to the federal law enforcement officers working within it. I had one homeland security official tell me, quote, "The department needs a law enforcement leader, not a sycophant."

In fact, I've also been told that some of the Border Patrol agents on the ground in Minneapolis are also starting to become unconvinced that this is a productive use of time, given the tenuous situations that they are going into. And that can be risky both for the protesters, but also for the law enforcement officers that are conducting these operations. Now, I will also tell you, Wolf, that this morning the president announced that Tom Homan, the White House border czar, is going to be going to Minnesota.

That has so far been some welcome news for homeland security officials because they do feel a change is necessary here. And Tom Homan is someone who is a veteran immigration and customs enforcement official. He takes a little bit of a different approach to what we have been seeing from, say, Gregory Bovino, the top Border Patrol official who up until this point has been leading the charge in Minnesota.

We don't know what it means for Bovino and his tactics, but certainly there is an indication of some type of change as to what is happening on the ground there, just by the nature of Tom Homan now being dispatched.

BLITZER: So is the president losing confidence in Bovino, Gregory Bovino, and maybe even Kristi Noem?

ALVAREZ: We can't say that with certainty. What I can tell you is that there have been different factions within the administration about how to handle immigration enforcement. And Bovino reports to the Homeland Security Secretary, Kristi Noem.

She has had a bit of a tense relationship with Tom Homan. And our sources tell us the two really rarely have spoken to one another in recent months. So it's been an interesting development here that the president is now dispatching Tom Homan to Minnesota.

And we'll keep eyes on what that means for the dynamic.

BLITZER: We certainly will. But no one will keep eyes more than you will. Thanks very much, Priscilla, for that report.

And coming up, more than 800,000 power outages are now reported across the southeast and the East Coast as a monster winter storm moves out, leaving behind some of the coldest temperatures in years. Up next, we'll speak with an emergency official in Virginia, one of 18 states dealing with more than a foot of snow.

[10:25:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: As people across the country and indeed the world wrap their heads around what happened in Minneapolis, the local community is grieving the loss of a man who, by all accounts, helped others even in his final moments.

Ubah Ali, of CNN affiliate, WCCO, spoke with someone who knew Alex Pretti for 20 years.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UBAH ALI, WCCO-TV REPORTER (voice-over): 37-year-old Alex Pretti is remembered as a healer, caring for the sickest as an ICU nurse at the VA, his friend of two decades.

HEATHER ZIELINSKI, KNEW ALEX PRETTI FOR 20 YEARS: There are going to be times when I pick up the phone and I'm not going to be able to get a hold of them for sure.

ALI (voice-over): Heather Zielinski is heartbroken, but she says helping people was who he was, and this moment captured tells the whole story and why he died.

ZIELINSKI: Absolutely, he was standing up for someone. Absolutely, he was standing up for that woman that he was trying to help up. He was trying to help her get out of that situation.

ALI (voice-over): In a statement, his father told the Associated Press he cared about people deeply and he was very upset with what was happening in Minneapolis and throughout the United States with ICE, as millions of other people are upset. He was born in Illinois and raised in Wisconsin. They say Pretti owned a handgun and had a permit to carry.

Outside the hospital, an avid outdoorsman, biking and hiking, finding peace in nature.

ZIELINKSI: He leaned into the things that he was passionate about and that's one of the things that made him very successful.

[10:30:00]