In a notable press event at the White House on Friday, former President Donald Trump reiterated his vice president’s controversial assertion regarding the death of Renee Good, a 37-year-old woman fatally shot by an ICE agent in Minneapolis. Trump claimed that Good was linked to a “leftwing network” purportedly intent on inciting violence against federal agents, a statement that has drawn widespread criticism.

When asked by a Fox News correspondent to elaborate on comments made by JD Vance about Good, Trump endorsed his vice president’s perspective, stating that he “is generally very accurate.” The former president pointed to what he called evidence suggesting that at least one individual near Good at the time of her death was “probably a paid agitator.”

This narrative aligns with Trump’s recent pattern of dismissing the motivations of protesters opposing his mass deportation policies, alleging that they are merely operatives rather than individuals outraged by the treatment of their neighbors. Such claims are not new, as Trump has frequently voiced similar sentiments in recent months.

In discussing Good’s case, Trump referenced bystanders captured on video during the incident. He seized on the fact that a female voice could be heard shouting “shame” repeatedly, suggesting this indicated professional agitation. “I watched that,” Trump stated. “There was a woman screaming: ‘Shame! Shame! Shame! Shame!’ She was a[n] agitator, probably a paid agitator, but in my opinion she was an agitator, a very high-level agitator.”

However, the origin of the voice yelling “shame” remains unclear. It is uncertain whether it belonged to the individual recording the incident or another person nearby. Trump’s assertion that only a paid protester would react vocally to ICE actions stands in stark contrast to numerous incidents documented in the past year, where ordinary citizens have expressed their opposition to federal immigration policies.

Video documentation showed multiple instances where a witness to Good’s death proclaimed “shame” at the agents involved as the situation escalated. Initially, the word was shouted as agents attempted to extricate Good from her vehicle. Shortly thereafter, as the recording moved closer to the agents, the same admonition echoed eight more times as the agent responsible for Good’s death departed.

Trump also expressed frustration regarding the bystander’s emotional outbursts, claiming that such loud protests hindered his ability to view the footage critically. “The news sort of turned her down, turned her off because you’re trying to watch – she was so loud and so crazy and just not normal,” he remarked. “When somebody sees something like that,” he added, reflecting on the shocking incident, “they don’t go screaming and screaming, and the same words.”

Concluding his statements, Trump reiterated his commitment to law enforcement, asserting, “You have agitators, and we will always be protecting ICE, and we’re always going to be protecting our border patrol and our law enforcement.” This political strategy underscores ongoing tensions surrounding immigration policy and public opinion in America, as debates intensify over issues of civic engagement and democracy.