Vice President Vance Stands Firm Amid Controversy Over Border Patrol Shooting Remarks
Vice President JD Vance delivered a terse, two-word response when questioned by a reporter about whether he should extend an apology to the family of Alex Pretti. The 37-year-old nurse was fatally shot by Border Patrol agents during a protest in Minneapolis less than two weeks ago. "For what?" Vance retorted to Phillip Nieto of The Daily Mail, setting the tone for a tense exchange.
Background of the Controversial Comments
Nieto pressed the vice president, asking if he should apologize for labeling Pretti an assassin with ill intent. This reference stemmed from Vance amplifying a post on X from White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller. Just hours after Pretti's death, Miller's post baselessly accused the nurse of being an "assassin" who "tried to murder federal agents." Miller has since acknowledged that Border Patrol agents may not have adhered to proper protocol during the shooting incident.
Amid growing criticism, President Donald Trump also distanced himself from the assassin label, stating he did not believe Pretti fit that description. However, Vance remained unyielding, refusing to apologize for sharing the remarks and continuing to disparage Pretti in the interview.
Vance Defends His Position and Questions Hypotheticals
In the discussion, Vance reiterated his stance, describing Pretti as "a guy who showed up with ill intent to an ICE protest." When Nieto pointed to the Justice Department's announcement of a civil rights investigation into Pretti's death—a significant shift in the Trump administration's handling of the case—Vance was asked if he would apologize if violations were found.
The vice president bristled at this line of questioning, dismissing it as a chain of hypotheticals. "If this hypothetical leads to that hypothetical leads to another hypothetical, will I do a thing?" he questioned, even as Nieto emphasized that this is an active, real case.
Calls for Patience and Fairness in the Investigation
Despite his earlier rush to judgment, Vance asserted that the investigation into the shooting must conclude before he comments further. "We're gonna let the investigation determine—we're gonna let the actual law come to the surface and figure out what happened," he stated. He added that if wrongdoing by the shooter is established, consequences will follow, but he stressed the importance of not prejudging the outcome.
"I don't think it's smart to prejudge the investigation," Vance continued. "I don't think it's fair to those ICE officers." This stance highlights the ongoing tension between accountability for the agents involved and the vice president's refusal to retract his inflammatory statements, as the civil rights probe moves forward under heightened public scrutiny.
