US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that people "cannot bring guns" to protests after a second American was killed by federal authorities in Minnesota, aligning with an administration stance that has already drawn strong reactions from gun rights advocates.
The comments came after the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old intensive care nurse who was legally carrying a handgun when he was knocked to the ground, disarmed and killed by border agents during a protest in Minneapolis on Saturday.
Pratt's death has left Trump navigating dangerous political terrain, caught between defending aggressive federal law enforcement tactics and the risk of a rift with a gun lobby that has long been one of his most trusted allies.
"You can't have a gun, you can't go in with a gun, you can't do that, but it's a very unfortunate incident," Trump told reporters when asked about Pretti's death, which came days after an immigration agent killed unarmed activist Renee Good as she tried to drive away.
The Republican leader's stance has put him at odds with influential conservative gun groups, which argue that the Second Amendment protects the right to bear firearms while exercising other constitutional rights, including peaceful assembly.
Gun rights advocates reacted angrily after senior officials appeared to suggest that Pretti's legal possession of a gun justified the agents' actions.
The National Rifle Association said such claims were "dangerous and wrong", calling on public figures to await the outcome of an investigation rather than "demonising law-abiding citizens".
The organization "Gun Owners of America" said that Americans do not give up their right to bear arms when they protest.
Trump's remarks also highlighted tensions within his political coalition.
The president softened the administration's tone compared to some aides, rejecting the "killer" label used baselessly by deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller to describe Pretti.
But he didn't shy away from the broader argument that armed protesters pose an inherent threat to law enforcement.
This stance has drawn criticism from libertarian-leaning Republicans, including Kentucky Congressman Thomas Massie, who said that "carrying a firearm is not a death sentence."
And the debate risks reviving accusations of hypocrisy from Trump's critics.
The congressional panel investigating the 2021 riots at the U.S. Capitol by Trump supporters heard testimony from a senior White House aide that Trump knew some supporters at his rally were armed but asked for security checks to be lifted to allow them to approach — before calling on the crowd to march on Congress.
The contrast has sharpened Democratic attacks and unsettled parts of Trump's base, especially since the administration previously defended armed conservatives like Kyle Rittenhouse, who was acquitted after killing two people with his AR-15 semi-automatic rifle at a 2020 protest.
