Things got heated on Fox News’ “The Five” Monday when former White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany called out Democratic strategist Jessica Tarlov for what she said was a rush to judgment in the fatal shooting of 37-year-old Alex Pretti by a Border Patrol agent over the weekend.
The Department of Homeland Security described the incident as a “targeted” enforcement operation. It took place around 9:05 a.m. on Saturday, and it has since ignited riots and widespread destruction in parts of Minneapolis. But as the dust settles, the political fallout is just getting started.
During the panel discussion, McEnany zeroed in on what she saw as Tarlov’s premature conclusions. “Are you calling for an investigation now?” McEnany demanded. “Or are you just stating a conclusion? Because it seems like you’ve arrived at a conclusion before an investigation.”
Tarlov tried to push back, claiming that questioning official narratives or language doesn’t automatically equal a verdict. But McEnany wasn’t buying it. She slammed the double standard and reminded viewers of the danger in politicizing deadly incidents before the facts are in.
🚨 HOLY CRAP! Jessica Tarlov just got PUMMELED for her blatant hypocrisy
MCENANY: “YOU are no different! You are saying ‘m*rderer,’ calling 6 federal agents m*rderers BEFORE you have the facts!” 🔥🔥🔥
She’s insufferable.pic.twitter.com/4zmD8AyFmC
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) January 26, 2026
“It is irresponsible to call someone a domestic terrorist before you have the facts,” McEnany said, comparing Tarlov’s comments to those made by Gov. Kristi Noem. “When you say murder, you are calling those six agents murderers before you have the facts.”
McEnany didn’t stop there. She tied it back to the bigger picture, noting the importance of a consistent standard—whether it’s the death of Alex Pretti or Renee Good. “We don’t arrive at conclusions,” she said. “We don’t call people domestic terrorists who were killed before investigations.”
Meanwhile, Rep. Ilhan Omar added fuel to the fire, labeling the incident an “execution” and demanding that President Trump halt ICE enforcement. That’s despite ICE deploying into Minneapolis following staggering revelations that stolen welfare funds were funneled to Somalia-based terror group al-Shabaab. The scheme is now believed to have cost U.S. taxpayers over $9 billion, prompting Trump to terminate Temporary Protected Status for Somali nationals in Minnesota back in November.
Tensions are rising. ICE has refocused on Somali nationals in the country unlawfully. But while federal agents act, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey says city police will not cooperate with ICE, further inflaming the clash between federal law enforcement and local leadership.
In the middle of the storm, McEnany made her message loud and clear: Let the investigation play out—and stop using inflammatory language to score political points.
