ICE in Minneapolis

In this Quick Take, Ian Bremmer addresses the killing of Alex Pretti in Minneapolis, calling it “a tipping point” in America’s increasingly volatile politics.

He pushes back on claims from Trump administration officials that Pretti was a “domestic terrorist,” noting that video evidence shows he was disarmed before being shot. “There’s no question that that is beyond unacceptable,” Ian says, warning that official disinformation is “what’s so dangerous.”

While the Trump administration has often refused to back down, Ian argues this case is different. The president is now signaling restraint, and “he’s not escalating today because it’s extremely unpopular,” even among Republicans.

Ian concludes that while these actions pose a threat to the rule of law, they’ve also triggered institutional and political pushback. “Attempting a political revolution is not the same as succeeding at one,” he says, pointing to signs of resilience in the US political system.