CNN Anchor Anderson Cooper Dissects MAGA's Contradictory Stance on Gun Rights Following Protester's Death
While former President Donald Trump and his supporters often assume Americans possess short attention spans, the extensive archives of 24-hour cable news networks serve as powerful reminders of political inconsistencies. During Monday's broadcast of Anderson Cooper 360, the veteran CNN anchor meticulously examined the MAGA movement's pearl-clutching reaction to Alex Pretti possessing a concealed firearm, revealing what he characterized as a glaring double standard in their approach to Second Amendment rights.
The Fatal Incident in Minneapolis and the Emergence of a Double Standard
Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old intensive care nurse, was participating in anti-ICE protests in Minneapolis following the tragic killing of Renee Good by an ICE officer. On Saturday, while using his cell phone to document Border Patrol agents, Pretti attempted to assist a fellow demonstrator who had been forcefully pushed to the ground. Eyewitness video evidence shows that federal agents quickly swarmed Pretti, wrestled him down, and fatally wounded him after discharging ten shots.
Critically, although Pretti legally carried a firearm during the encounter, the video clearly demonstrates the weapon was never in his hands. It was only revealed when an agent removed it from its holster moments before the fatal shooting occurred. Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O'Hara later confirmed at a press conference that Pretti was a lawful gun owner with a valid permit to carry, exercising a constitutional right fervently championed by Trump's political base.
Administration Officials' Swift Condemnation Contrasts with Past Rhetoric
Despite Pretti's lawful exercise of his Second Amendment rights, Cooper highlighted that Trump administration officials were immediately and highly critical of anyone carrying a weapon in the first place following the incident. The anchor played damning clips of FBI Director Kash Patel and Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem directly addressing Pretti's firearm.
Secretary Noem, who has faced previous controversy for shooting her own puppy, stated at a Saturday press conference, I don't know of any peaceful protester that shows up with a gun and ammunition rather than a sign. Director Patel echoed this sentiment during a recent Fox News appearance, asserting, You cannot bring a firearm, loaded with multiple magazines, to any sort of protest that you wanted. It's that simple. You don't have that right to break the law and incite violence.
Cooper appeared visibly perplexed by their rhetoric, noting this was not what we're accustomed to hearing from either official, given their typical alignment with pro-gun narratives.
Hypocrisy Exposed: The Kyle Rittenhouse Connection and Trump's Response
Cooper then underscored the profound hypocrisy in Patel's remarks by revealing that the FBI Director had actively fundraised for Kyle Rittenhouse. The anchor presented a 2021 clip of Patel soliciting donations for Rittenhouse, who, at age 17, shot three people during a 2020 protest against police brutality, killing two. Rittenhouse was acquitted of murder after claiming self-defense and was later praised by Trump as a nice young man following a meeting.
The analysis turned to Trump's own reaction. The former president posted a photograph of Pretti's firearm to his Truth Social platform on Saturday, captioning it: This is the gunman's gun (with two additional full magazines!), and ready to go – What is that all about? Cooper juxtaposed this with multiple historical clips of Trump passionately defending the Second Amendment, leading to a sobering conclusion.
Now, he supports the Second Amendment – just not all the time, depending on who's carrying the gun and who gets killed, Cooper stated, looking directly into the camera. Alex Pretti was apparently not his kind of gun owner. This segment powerfully illustrated a selective application of constitutional principles based on political alignment rather than consistent legal philosophy.
