Kristi Noem is at it again, folks.
The Department of Homeland Security Secretary faced a very simple question on Saturday.
A reporter just wanted some clarification about the gun the DHS claimed Alex Pretti “brandished” to harm ICE agents.
Noem did not give a straight answer.
It seems the Trump administration has a very creative relationship with the dictionary.
In Minnesota, “brandishing” means “to display or wield a weapon.”
But apparently in MAGA-land, that definition is open to wild interpretation.
Camera or Cannon?
Let’s look at the facts.
Viral video on social media taken from a variety of angles showed Pretti pointing a camera at ICE agents to record their actions.
There was no gun visible in his hands.
Additional video actually showed ICE agents removing a gun from Pretti while they already had him pinned to the ground.
To make matters worse for Noem’s narrative, the Minneapolis police confirmed that Pretti had a lawful concealed carry license.
So we have a guy exercising his First Amendment right to record, while legally exercising his Second Amendment right to carry.
You would think the right wing would be throwing him a parade.
The Mental Gymnastics
The reporter asked the obvious question.
“Did the 37 year old, who had a license to carry, did he brandish a gun?”
They also asked, “And at what point did law enforcement retrieve the gun? And also the magazines from him?”
Noem’s response was a masterclass in gaslighting.
“This individual showed up to impede a law enforcement operation and assaulted our officers,” she said.
She claimed, “They responded according to their training and took action to defend the officer’s life and those of the public around him.”
Then she dropped a line that is absolutely rich coming from a party obsessed with firearms.
“And I don’t know of any peaceful protester that shows up with a gun and ammunition rather than a sign.”
Oh, really?
Suddenly, carrying a weapon makes you a rioter by default?
“This is a violent riot when you have someone showing up with weapons and are using them to assault law enforcement officers,” Noem insisted.
I guess the Second Amendment only applies when you are wearing a red hat.
Ignoring Reality 101
The reporter, doing the job Noem refuses to do, persisted with facts.
“Video appears to show he’s disarmed before shots are fired, so I just want clarity on that,” the reporter noted.
Noem ignored the question about the timing of the shots entirely.
Instead, she pivoted to the target of the original raid.
“Our law enforcement officers were there doing a targeted operation against an individual who was in this country illegally and had a criminal conviction for domestic assault with intent to do bodily harm and other convictions as well,” Noem said.
That is great, Kristi, but we are talking about Pretti.
She doubled down anyway.
“This individual went and impeded their law enforcement operations, attacked those officers, had a weapon on him and multiple dozens of rounds of ammunition, wishing to inflict harm on these officers coming, brandishing like that, and impeding their work that they were doing.”
“Brandishing like that.”
She just cannot admit the truth.
Watch the clip above via CNN if you want to see the squirming for yourself.
