In a press briefing on Thursday, Vice President J.D. Vance threw the full weight of the White House behind an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent involved in a fatal shooting in Minneapolis, characterizing the incident not as a tragedy of excessive force, but as a clear-cut case of self-defense against a “radicalized” obstructionist.
Simultaneously, the Vice President opened a new legal front against Minnesota’s Democratic leadership, announcing the creation of a high-level Department of Justice position dedicated to rooting out systemic fraud in the state.
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The briefing marked a significant escalation in tensions between the federal government and Minnesota officials following the death of a motorist, identified in reports as Renee Good, during an ICE operation on Wednesday. While local protesters and some officials have decried the shooting, Vance rejected narratives portraying the deceased as an innocent bystander.
“She aimed her car at a law enforcement officer and pressed on the accelerator,” Vance told reporters, citing video evidence he claims justifies the agent’s use of lethal force. “I can believe that her death is a tragedy, while also recognizing that it’s a tragedy of her own making.”
Vance framed the incident as part of a broader, “sinister” left-wing movement designed to physically obstruct federal law enforcement. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt opened the briefing by citing internal statistics, alleging a 1,200 percent increase in assaults on ICE officers and a 3,200 percent spike in vehicle rammings.
READ: ‘She Ran Him Over’: Trump Stands Firm On ICE Shooting Defense In Minnesota
The Vice President criticized media coverage of the shooting, accusing the press of acting as “agents of propaganda” by downplaying the dangers faced by federal agents. He suggested that the administration would investigate not just the individuals on the street, but the “financing networks” supporting them, warning that those funding attacks on law enforcement could face prison time.
Targeting the Walz Administration
Beyond the immediate defense of the ICE agent, Vance used the podium to launch a broadside against Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, explicitly calling for his resignation.
Vance alleged that under Walz’s leadership, taxpayers have been defrauded of billions of dollars through “low IQ” scams involving early childhood education and pandemic relief programs. He specifically pointed to fraud rings involving “Somali immigrants” and others who he claimed have fleeced systems meant for struggling families.
READ: ‘Over My Dead Body’: Minnesota Gov. Walz Digs In Against Resignation Calls Amid Fraud Scandal
To combat this, Vance announced the nomination of a new Assistant Attorney General. Unlike a Special Counsel, this official will be Senate-confirmed—a move Vance stated was designed to ensure constitutional legitimacy and grant the prosecutor “broad investigatory authority.”
“This is the person who is going to make sure that we stop defrauding the American people,” Vance said, noting he had already secured a promise of swift confirmation from Senate Majority Leader John Thune.
While the new Assistant Attorney General will have nationwide jurisdiction, their initial mandate is squarely focused on Minnesota. Vance accused the Walz administration of either complicity or incompetence regarding the alleged fraud.
“Tim Walz is a joke,” Vance said. “He’s the guy who has enabled fraud, and maybe in fact has participated in fraud. That’s what this new Assistant Attorney General position is going to find out.”
The announcements signal a rigid posture from the Trump-Vance administration: absolute immunity and support for federal agents enforcing immigration laws, coupled with aggressive federal intervention into the internal governance of states they view as non-compliant or corrupt.
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