President Donald Trump and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz spoke by phone Monday in what both sides later described as a productive conversation, signaling a possible shift in tone amid mounting tension over ICE operations in Minnesota.
According to Trump, the call came directly from Walz and focused on working together following two fatal shootings involving federal immigration agents in the state. The exchange marks a notable change from Trump’s recent public criticism of Minnesota leadership and suggests a potential opening for cooperation as public pressure continues to grow.
In a post shared on Truth Social, Trump said the Democratic governor requested collaboration.“It was a very good call, and we, actually, seemed to be on a similar wavelength,” Trump wrote.
That statement alone stands out, especiallygiven Trump’s recent rhetoric toward Walz and Minneapolis officials. The call also comes as Minnesota faces national scrutiny over immigration enforcement, public safety, and the role of federal agents operating within local communities.
A Shift in Tone After Days of Public Criticism
Just days before the call, Trump’s language toward Walz was anything but cooperative.Following the fatal shooting of ICU nurse Alex Pretti, Trump publicly blamed Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey for what he described as chaos and unrest. In a Truth Social post over the weekend, Trump accused both Democratic leaders of “inciting Insurrection, with their pompous, dangerous, and arrogant rhetoric,” later labeling them “sanctimonious political fools.”
That backdrop makes Monday’s call especially significant. For weeks, Trump had tied Minnesota’s leadership to broader critiques of Democratic governance, immigration policy, and public safety failures. He also repeatedly referenced a separate fraud scandal in Minnesota as evidence of mismanagement under Walz’s administration.
Yet despite that history, Trump framed the phone conversation as respectful and forward-looking.“The Governor, very respectfully, understood that, and I will be speaking to him in the near future,” Trump wrote later.
The sudden pivot suggests mounting political and public pressure following the deaths, especially as protests and scrutiny intensified around federal immigration enforcement practices.
Trump Says Walz Requested Collaboration on ICE Operations
According to Trump, Walz initiated the call with a specific request: to work together.In his Truth Social post, Trump said the Minnesota governor asked that they “work together” to address the ongoing ICE operations and the fallout from recent enforcement actions.Trump also revealed that during the call, he informed Walz that his administration would involve border czar Tom Homan directly.
Trump publicly announced earlier that same morning that Homan would be sent to Minnesota following the fatal shooting of Pretti, a decision that drew both support and concern nationwide.Trump said his team’s focus would be on identifying individuals already in custody.Trump said he told Walz that his administration is looking for “any and all Criminals that they have in their possession.”
That language aligns with Trump’s long-standing immigration stance, emphasizing enforcement against individuals with criminal records while pressuring states to cooperate more closely with federal authorities.
White House Clarifies Expectations for Minnesota Officials
The administration offered more detail later in the day. During a press briefing Monday afternoon, White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt explained what the federal government expects from Minnesota leadership following the call.
She said the White House wants Minnesota to turn over “criminal illegal aliens currently incarcerated in their prisons and jails to federal authorities.”
Leavitt also stated that state and local officials are expected to turn over undocumented immigrants arrested by local police and assist federal law enforcement in apprehension efforts.Her comments reinforced the administration’s broader approach to immigration enforcement, emphasizing coordination between federal agencies and state systems.
While those expectations remain controversial, Leavitt suggested that Walz understood the administration’s position. Trump echoed that sentiment in his post, writing that Walz was “happy that Tom Homan was going to Minnesota.”
