By Trendsetter Tribune 
The killing of Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old ICU nurse, by federal agents in Minnesota has sparked controversy over the Trump administration’s stance on the Second Amendment. Pretti was legally carrying a gun when he was shot, but administration officials have suggested that his rights didn’t apply in that situation.
President Trump said, “You can’t walk in with guns,” while FBI Director Kash Patel and Border Patrol commander Gregory Bovino suggested Pretti was at fault for approaching law enforcement armed. This stance has drawn criticism from gun rights groups and activists.
Cam Edwards, host of the Bearing Arms podcast, said, “The presence of a firearm, by itself, is not an indicator of a criminal intent or a threat to law enforcement.” The Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus clarified that permit holders can legally carry firearms at protests in the state.
Even the National Rifle Association publicly disagreed with administration claims that approaching law enforcement armed could justify lethal force. Other groups, including Gun Owners of America, also questioned the Justice Department’s position.
In response to the backlash, Border Patrol commander Gregory Bovino was removed from Minnesota. But conservative discussions about gun rights remain heated. Experts note that divisions within the Republican Party—between libertarian, Christian nationalist, and law-and-order factions—are influencing the debate.
Some see the administration’s statements as a temporary shift to appeal to law-and-order supporters, while gun rights advocates remain skeptical. Meanwhile, Democrats are using the incident to highlight inconsistencies in Republican support for the Second Amendment.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez criticized Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem’s remarks, pointing out the contradiction between the treatment of Pretti and praise for Kyle Rittenhouse. Former Rep. Dean Phillips also acknowledged the dangers, saying he now understands why some gun rights defenders cite armed resistance against government overreach.
The Pretti case has put the Trump administration at odds with many gun rights organizations, raising questions about the limits of Second Amendment protections in confrontations with federal agents.