US President Donald Trump speaks during an exclusive interview with Reuters at the White House on January 14, 2026 local time Photo: IC

In sharp contrast with his initial definition of the now politically-charged incident, the US President Donald Trump on Wednesday struck a more conciliatory tone over the fatal shooting of Renee Good by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer in Minnesota, during an interview with Reuters, and the US President called the incident "unfortunate" and "sad to see on both sides." A Chinese expert told the Global Times on Thursday that the US President's apparent softening in tone clearly reflects a desire to prevent the issue from further intensifying political polarization due to pressure from public opinion.

Trump's remarks marked a shift from his earlier response to the January 7 shooting in Minneapolis, in which ICE officer Jonathan Ross fatally shot Good, a 37-year-old US citizen and mother of three, during a large-scale immigration enforcement operation. Shortly after the incident, Trump reportedly described Good on social media as a "professional agitator" who "violently, willfully, and viciously ran over the ICE officer," and said the officer appeared to have acted in self-defense.

In a Tuesday interview with CBS Evening News, Trump said, "I would bet you that she, under normal circumstances, was a very solid, wonderful person. But, you know, her actions were pretty tough." Trump made the remarks after being asked whether he had a message for Good's father, Timothy Ganger, a Trump supporter who told CBS News he was heartbroken that the Trump administration had quickly labeled his daughter a "domestic terrorist."

The US President struck a more cautious tone when asked whether he believed the ICE officer did the right thing. He said that he does not "get into right or wrong" and that it was "a tough situation to be in," adding that there was "very little respect shown to the police, in this case, the ICE officers," per Reuters.

If the US President does not move quickly to defuse some of the negative partisan and political fallout, the situation may no longer remain confined to the level of public order, but could rapidly be absorbed into the highly confrontational political dynamics that already define the US, Sun Chenghao, a research fellow at Tsinghua University's Center for International Security and Strategy, told the Global Times on Thursday.

The killing sparked widespread protests and public outrage at both the local and national levels, with demonstrators calling for accountability and a broader reevaluation of federal immigration enforcement practices. In the aftermath, several federal prosecutors in Minneapolis resigned, reportedly in protest over how the Justice Department handled the investigation, US media outlet American Bazaar reported on Wednesday.

There is a clear divide between the Democratic-led Minnesota state government and the federal government under Republican President Donald Trump over how the incident should be characterized and investigated. Minnesota Gov. Timothy Walz, a Democrat, said the state "doesn't need any further help from the federal government," warning that the Trump administration's "dangerous, sensationalized operations are a threat to our public safety," according to US media reports.

When asked whether he would pardon the officer if he were charged and convicted, Trump said he would wait for the legal process to play out. "That was a very unfortunate incident. We're just going to see what happens," he said, Reuters reported. 

Federal agents are generally immune from state prosecution for actions taken as part of their official duties although local officials have rejected the idea that the shooting was in self-defense, the Reuters report said. 

In a separate incident late Wednesday in Minneapolis, a federal officer shot a person in the leg after what federal officials described as an altercation during an attempted arrest. According to The Associated Press (AP), the officer was attacked with a shovel and a broom handle while trying to detain an individual and responded by firing at the person's leg. This shooting occurred about 4.5 miles (7.2 kilometers) north of where the ICE officer fatally shot Good earlier in the month.

"Republicans will certainly use this incident to reinforce a law-and-order narrative, including calls for tougher border control and immigration enforcement, and to frame the event around the legitimacy of federal law enforcement. However, if the conflict cannot be resolved, public opinion, which overall favors social stability and calm, could instead create an unfavorable situation for Republicans," Sun said.