(The Epoch Times)—President Donald Trump on Saturday announced federal authorities will not intervene in protests in Democrat-led jurisdictions, but will continue to forcefully protect federal property.
“I have instructed Secretary of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem, that under no circumstances are we going to participate in various poorly run Democrat Cities with regard to their Protests and/or Riots unless, and until, they ask us for help,” Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social.
“We will, however, guard, and very powerfully so, any and all Federal Buildings that are being attacked by these highly paid Lunatics, Agitators, and Insurrectionists.”
The president’s message comes after federal authorities shot and killed protesters Renee Good and Alex Pretti during recent immigration enforcement operations in Minnesota.
An Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer shot Good on Jan. 7 as she struck the officer with her SUV while attempting to flee apprehension. Officials said the ICE agent suffered internal bleeding during the encounter.
A Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer fatally shot Pretti on Jan. 24 during an altercation. Videos from the incident show Pretti was filming federal authorities with his phone, and stepped between one of the CBP officers and another protester the officer had pushed to the ground. The incident then devolved into a struggle between Pretti and several federal agents, ending with one or more of those federal agents shooting him.
Pretti possessed a permit to carry firearms, and had a handgun on his person at the time of the altercation. His death is now the subject of a federal civil rights investigation.
Representatives for Pretti’s family confirmed he was filmed in a separate Jan. 13 altercation in which he appeared to spit at a vehicle and kick out its taillight. The vehicle then stopped, and several masked federal agents proceeded to tackle him to the ground.
In his Saturday social media post, Trump said he issued instructions for ICE and Border Patrol personnel to “be very forceful” in protecting federal property.
“There will be no spitting in the faces of our Officers, there will be no punching or kicking the headlights of our cars, and there will be no rock or brick throwing at our vehicles, or at our Patriot Warriors,” the president added. “If there is, those people will suffer an equal, or more, consequence.”
Trump said state and local governments also have an obligation to protect federal property, as well as local property.
The president also raised the prospect of deploying military personnel to assist in protecting federal property.
“Remember that I stated, in the strongest of language, to BEWARE — ICE, Border Patrol or, if necessary, our Military, will be extremely powerful and tough in the protection of our Federal Property,” he wrote.
