Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey (D) ignited fresh national backlash Sunday after declaring on CNN that the woman fatally shot by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer was “not a domestic terrorist,” directly challenging how the Trump administration has characterized the incident.
Appearing on CNN’s “State of the Union,” Frey said anyone who has viewed the video footage of the shooting of Renee Nicole Good can plainly see that federal officials rushed to judgment before reviewing the evidence.
“Anybody can see these videos,” Frey said. “Anybody can see that this victim is not a domestic terrorist.”
The assertion immediately escalated tensions between Minneapolis leadership and federal authorities, who have defended the officer’s actions and described Good’s behavior as potentially falling under terrorism statutes.
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem previously labeled the incident “domestic terrorism” before video evidence was released, a move Frey has repeatedly criticized.
Frey accused the Trump administration of prioritizing a narrative over facts, arguing that the public characterization of the incident was made prematurely.
“When you’ve got a federal administration that is so quick to jump on a narrative as opposed to the truth, I think we all need to be speaking out,” Frey told CNN host Jake Tapper, according to Breitbart.
The mayor reiterated comments he previously made, stating, “I said this was a federal agent recklessly using power that ended up in somebody dying, because that was exactly what happened.”
He acknowledged that he is not a neutral observer but insisted the video evidence supports his conclusion.
Federal officials have pushed back sharply.
Vice President JD Vance said the ICE officer is “protected by absolute immunity” while performing official duties, and Noem has asserted that state prosecutors have “no jurisdiction” over the case, The Guardian reports.
Frey, however, called for Minnesota’s Bureau of Criminal Apprehension to be included in the investigation, arguing that transparency and state participation are necessary to preserve public trust.
The CNN interview followed a controversial press conference in which Frey told ICE to “get the f*ck out of Minneapolis” and dismissed claims that the officer acted in self-defense as “bullsh*t.”
Asked on NBC’s “Meet the Press” whether his rhetoric contributed to the political temperature, Frey responded that while his language may offend some, the fatal shooting itself was the true source of outrage.
Conservative commentators and social media users on X accused Frey of inflaming tensions and undermining law enforcement.
Influencer Paul A. Szypula wrote that Frey “refuses to acknowledge his violent rhetoric,” while others argued the officer issued lawful commands that were ignored, placing blame squarely on Good’s actions.
The shooting has intensified a broader national debate over federal authority, law enforcement accountability and the role of political rhetoric in high-profile cases.
As investigations continue, Frey’s insistence on Good not being “a domestic terrorist” has become a flashpoint—reshaping the conversation and drawing renewed scrutiny to how the incident is being framed at the highest levels of government.
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