JD Vance has refused to apologize to the family of Alex Pretti after he amplified claims that the slain Minneapolis nurse was an 'assassin.'
The Vice President sat down for a wide-ranging exclusive interview with the Daily Mail on Tuesday, where he refused to admit any wrongdoing over spreading White House claims that Pretti, who was shot dead by ICE last month, intended to kill law enforcement.
Vance reposted allegations on X broadcast by White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller, branding the nurse 'an assassin' who 'tried to murder federal agents.'
When asked by the Mail if he would apologize for endorsing Miller's statement, Vance shot back: 'For what?'
'If something is determined that the guy who shot Alex Pretti did something bad, then a lot of consequences are going to flow from that. We'll let that happen,' Vance said. 'I don't think it's smart to prejudge the investigation.'
Pretti, 37, who had a concealed carry permit, did not appear to have brandished his pistol and had been disarmed when he was shot ten times in less than five seconds.
Trump last week when asked if he agreed that Pretti was an 'assassin', told reporters: 'No.'
Miller has since admitted his statement was made in haste before the full facts were available and the Justice Department has opened an investigation into whether Pretti's civil rights were violated.
JD Vance sat down for a wide-ranging exclusive interview with the Daily Mail on Tuesday, where he refused to admit any wrongdoing over spreading White House claims that Pretti intended to kill law enforcement
Federal agents attempt to give life-saving care to Alex Pretti after he was shot in Minneapolis on January 24
Border Patrol Agent Jesus Ochoa, 43, and Customs and Border Protection Officer Raymundo Gutierrez, 35, are the two men responsible for shooting Pretti.
The officers were assigned to Minneapolis as part of Trump's immigration operation to crack down on undocumented migrants in the city.
Vance refused to say whether the officers involved in shooting Pretti should face a criminal investigation if the FBI concludes they violated his civil rights.
Instead, the Vice President argued that Pretti showed up with 'ill intent' at the January 24 protest.
Footage has since emerged showing Pretti taunting ICE agents for carrying pepper spray and daring them to 'soak me, motherf***er' just 11 days before his death.
Vance, a Yale law graduate, said that an investigation would establish whether the officers had a reasonable fear of Pretti to use lethal force.
'I'm not going to prejudge these guys. I think that everybody is deserved the presumption of innocence in the American system of justice. That's how it's going to work,' the VP told the Mail.
Vance continued: 'If they find out that he violated the law, of course, you should face consequences for violating the law. But I'm not going to engage in conjecture about the different permutations of how this or that officer might have violated the law.
The Daily Mail interviews JD Vance in his office at the Executive Office Building on the White House complex on Tuesday
'Let's do the investigation. Let's figure out, did these officers have a reasonable fear of Alex Pretti given what happened? Did they engage in lawful conduct or unlawful conduct? Let's let the investigation determine those things.'
Vance pledged that the Trump administration was 'not surrendering' on the president's mass deportation agenda following Pretti's death.
Trump's base expressed fears over the last week that the President was backing off from his election promise following the killings of Pretti and Renee Good in Minnesota.
The President parachuted Border Czar Tom Homan into the Twin Cities to take over from Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. Homan pledged to 'draw down' the number of officers amid negotiations with Democratic Governor Tim Walz.
Asked whether Homan's comments signaled the White House was in retreat, Vance told the Mail: 'No it doesn't at all.'
'We're not surrendering,' the VP insisted. 'We're not moving back on anything. We're just trying to actually encourage cooperation so that we get a little bit less chaos.'
Vance's comments demonstrate an ongoing policy tightrope the Trump administration is attempting to walk ahead of the midterm elections.
Polling, conducted by JL Partners for the Daily Mail last week, showed a majority of Americans have turned against ICE and Customs and Border Protection raids and believe their presence in US cities should end.
