By Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, whose public denunciations of federal immigration enforcement appeared to push the state toward confrontation with Washington, took a markedly more conciliatory turn Monday after a phone call with President Donald Trump—a shift that comes amid interlocking controversies over violent protests and a sprawling fraud investigation drawing renewed scrutiny to Minneapolis.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump described the call as “very good,” saying Walz had reached out seeking cooperation amid unrest. “It was a very good call, and we, actually, seemed to be on a similar wavelength,” Trump wrote. He said he told Walz the administration was focused on apprehending “any and all Criminals that they have in their possession,” adding that Walz “very respectfully understood” the approach. Trump also said Walz welcomed the deployment of border czar Tom Homan to Minnesota. “I will be speaking to him in the near future. He was happy that Tom Homan was going to Minnesota, and so am I,” Trump posted.
Earlier in the week, after the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old ICU nurse, by a federal agent, Trump had lashed out at Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, accusing them of “inciting Insurrection” and calling their rhetoric “pompous, dangerous, and arrogant,” labeling them “sanctimonious political fools.” That incident was the second fatality this month involving federal immigration enforcement in Minneapolis, following the death of Renee Nicole Good, and sparked widespread protests and a citywide general strike.
.@USAToday’s @Fran_Chambers on the Trump-Walz call: “The President described it as respectful. He said, ‘we seem to be seem on a similar wavelength.’ But you had strong criticism for the governor and the Minneapolis mayor, Jacob Frey, just now. So, could you explain the… pic.twitter.com/6bTeQ9uK8e
— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) January 26, 2026
Walz’s apparent outreach to Trump follows not only the violent clashes but also heightened attention to Minnesota’s pandemic-era fraud scandals. Analysis of media coverage and protest patterns notes that surges in street demonstrations have frequently followed high-profile reporting on a large nutrition fraud investigation tied to the nonprofit Feeding Our Future, which prosecutors say involved more than $250 million in misappropriated funds.
That backdrop has fed broader political friction: observers have noted that leftwing escalations in protest activity coincided with fresh coverage of fraud investigations, particularly those highlighting Somali immigrants and Walz’s connections to the schemes.
Walz’s office confirmed Monday’s call with Trump was “productive,” saying Trump agreed to direct the Department of Homeland Security to support independent state investigations into the shootings of Pretti and Good by the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension. According to the governor’s statement, Trump also committed to exploring a reduction in the number of federal agents in the state and closer coordination with Minnesota authorities on immigration enforcement focused on violent criminals.
Positive step. This is what the feds have been asking for all along. pic.twitter.com/a6K86XFYWI
— Sohrab Ahmari (@SohrabAhmari) January 26, 2026
The shift followed earlier efforts to de-escalate tensions, including two conversations Saturday between Walz and White House chief of staff Susie Wiles, which Walz’s office said were aimed at defusing conflict.
Protesters have clashed with authorities—at one point attempting to storm a Minneapolis hotel believed to house federal agents and injuring officers in the process.
Protesters smashing windows and vandalizing a hotel here in St. Paul, local authorities have not arrived on the scene and it’s been chaotic for over an hour now. Just a lone officer on the scene at the moment @DailyCaller pic.twitter.com/HySc0Ql38H
— Jorge Ventura Media (@VenturaReport) January 26, 2026
Taken together, the developments suggest Walz—after days of rhetoric that critics said veered toward the radical—has opted to pull back from outright confrontation and seek accommodation with the Trump administration as public pressure mounts on multiple fronts. The White House did not immediately provide additional details on the call.
[Read More: Protests Amp Up Every Time There’s More Released On The Fraud]
