Trump now speaks of "de-escalation" in Minneapolis

This left open, for example, whether or to what extent the tactics of immigration officials, which have been sharply criticized by parts of the US population, should change. Trump initially ruled out withdrawing the forces from the US state of Minnesota, where Minneapolis is located.

Two US citizens have been shot dead by federal officials in Minneapolis since the beginning of the year - Renée Good at the start of January and Alex Pretti most recently. Trump now said: "The bottom line is it was terrible. Both incidents were horrible." The fatal shooting of Pretti at the weekend had sparked nationwide outrage and put the US government in need of an explanation, partly because videos contradicted the official statements. Good was shot and killed by an ICE officer in early January.

No withdrawal of immigration officers

"I don't see it as a withdrawal," said Trump with regard to the withdrawal of the controversial commander of the Border Patrol, Gregory Bovino, along with some Border Patrol agents from Minneapolis. "It's more of a small change."

Tom Homan is now in charge of the operation instead. Homan looks back on a decades-long career in border protection agencies and is primarily associated with the crackdown on irregular immigrants during Trump's first term in office. He is controversial for his role in the separation of families.

The US government had sent thousands of federal officers to the city of Minneapolis and the surrounding state of Minnesota. The deployments are part of Trump's tougher deportation policy. In the interview on Fox, Trump appeared to defend the deployment in principle: "We have removed thousands of incorrigible criminals from Minnesota," said the president.