President Donald Trump expressed a mixed message to the family of a woman who was fatally shot by ICE agents, following revelations that her father was a supporter of his campaign.
During an interview with CBS News’ Tony Dokoupil at a Ford facility in Detroit on Tuesday, Trump adopted a somber demeanor when questioned about the incident.
The victim, 37-year-old Renee Good, was killed after allegedly driving towards an ICE agent while obstructing a roadway during a protest in Minneapolis against the Trump administration’s immigration policies.
Dokoupil informed Trump that Good’s father, Timothy Ganger, had been an avid supporter of the president, describing him as “heartbroken” over his daughter’s death.
“He’s also devastated because your administration was quick to label her a domestic terrorist,” Dokoupil added. “What would you like to say to her father right now?”
Trump responded by acknowledging Ganger’s support, saying, “That’s great. I do think it’s great, and I would imagine that under normal circumstances, she was a solid, wonderful person.”
‘But in many ways, the bottom line is, look, we have hundreds of thousands of murderers in our country, killers. ICE is trying to get them out,’ the president said. ‘ICE is working very hard to get them out, their job is being made very, very difficult.’
Trump noted that the way Good drove the car put the officers in a difficult position.
President Donald Trump sent a heartfelt message to Renee Good’s father, who is a supporter of his, during a CBS News interview on Tuesday
Renee Good, 37, was shot and killed by ICE officers after she blocked a motorcade and sped her vehicle towards an agent
His sentiments echo what the Department of Justice has also said, which is that there is currently no basis to open a criminal civil rights investigation into the Good’s shooting.
While an FBI probe is ongoing, lawyers in the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division were informed last week that they would not contribute to the investigation at this time, according to two people familiar with the matter who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal department deliberations.
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche released a statement on Tuesday saying ‘there is currently no basis for a criminal civil rights investigation.’
Trump and Dokoupil clashed elsewhere in the interview as the president was grilled on the economy, Iran and the administration’s attacks on Fed chair Jerome Powell.
The host and the president, at times, spoke over each other, and Dokoupil pressed the president on Americans who feel prices remain too elevated.
‘Mr. President, help me understand when I travel the country, and I go all over the place, and I talk to everyday Americans, they tell me they don’t feel it.’
Trump snapped back: ‘I inherited a mess of crime, I inherited a mess of inflation, I inherited a mess of places closing up and going to other countries.’
If Democrats won the last election, Trump said, ‘I doubt it in this case, but you never know … you wouldn’t have this job.’
Trump told the CBS host that if Kamala Harris won in 2024 that Dokoupil would have a smaller salary in a tense back and forth
Later in the interview, Dokoupil told the president that he believes he’d still have his job even if Democrats won.
‘Yea but a lesser salary,’ Trump quickly quipped.
Trump also promised ‘very strong action’ against Iran if the regime goes ahead with hanging protesters, amid reports that some as young as 26 will be executed tomorrow.
The president previously warned Tehran that he would take military action if it harmed protesters. Since then, at least 2,000 demonstrators have been killed.
Some reports estimate as much as 12,000 could have been killed.
The president was asked about the substantial death toll and reports that Iran has ordered hangings – and whether this would constitute the crossing of a ‘red line.’
‘I haven’t heard about their hangings,’ Trump told CBS. ‘We will take very strong action if they do such a thing.’
Dokoupil asked, ‘And this strong action – are we talking about – what’s the end game?’
Trump replied, ‘If they wanna have protests, that’s one thing. When they start killing thousands of people – now you’re telling me about hanging – we’ll see how that works out for them. It’s not gonna work out good.’
It comes as the first protester set to be executed was named today as Erfan Soltani.
The 26-year-old will be allowed a final ten minutes with his family before he is hanged on Wednesday morning for allegedly protesting against the regime last Thursday.
The president and Powell toured the Federal Reserve’s $2.5 billion renovation in July
The president also weighed in on Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell, who is currently the subject of a recently opened Department of Justice criminal investigation.
‘He’s been a lousy Fed chairman,’ Trump stated. ‘He’s been too high on interest rates … he should have reduced it by more.’
The DOJ probe revolves around Powell’s testimony before the Senate Banking Committee last year, during which he spoke about the expensive and slow remodel of the financial institution’s DC headquarters.
Critics claim that the Trump administration’s investigation into Powell is because the chairman has defied the president’s demands to lower interest rates.
Powell released a video address noting ‘this unprecedented action should be seen in the broader context of the administration’s threats and ongoing pressure.’
The remodel is expected to be the most expensive building project in DC history, costing upwards of $2.5 billion.
Speaking to CBS News, Trump said he could have done it for 1 percent of that price.
‘I could have fixed them up with 25 million.’
