Fareed Zakaria GPS – "Border Patrol Kills Minneapolis Man"

Date: January 25, 2026
Host: Anderson Cooper (guest hosting from Minneapolis), Fareed Zakaria (from Davos)
Podcast: CNN Podcasts

Episode Overview

This episode of Fareed Zakaria GPS addresses two major themes:

• The killing of Alex Pretti, an ICU nurse, by federal agents in Minneapolis, and the growing controversy over investigative transparency and federal-local relations.
• Insights from the Davos World Economic Forum, including U.S. foreign policy under Donald Trump, interviews with key global figures, and an in-depth conversation with Israeli President Isaac Herzog about Middle East dynamics.

The tone is urgent, analytical, and at times somber, covering both local outrage in Minneapolis and global geopolitical complexities.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Shooting of Alex Pretti in Minneapolis

Summary of Events

• Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old ICU nurse, was shot multiple times (approx. 10 shots fired) by federal law enforcement agents.
• Multiple video angles show Pretti was holding a camera, not a weapon, contradicting initial federal statements.
• State investigators with a search warrant were denied crime scene access by federal agents.
• Community response: Hundreds protested at the site, expressing anger, grief, and skepticism over federal transparency.

Critical Analysis of the Videos

• John Miller (Chief Law Enforcement and Intelligence Analyst)
  • Described key video moments, stressing ambiguities and the critical need for multi-angle review (03:10–06:16).
  • Noted evidence indicating a weapon was removed from the melee before shots were fired, casting doubt on the justification for lethal force.
  • Urged for open, thorough investigations: "These are all the questions that would be answered in a thorough, extensive investigation—the kind that the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension has a special unit that is especially dedicated to..." (05:40)

Investigation Concerns

• Usual procedure: Normally involves joint federal-state investigations; this case notably shut out local experts (06:30–07:53).
• Transparency called into question: "We're not getting that sense that this is happening...they're in court about it." (07:30, John Miller)

Notable Quotes & Moments

• Anderson Cooper:
  • "At least two federal law enforcement agents fired shots at Alex Pretti. It's believed he died on the scene...Federal law enforcement on the scene denied them [state investigators] access." (00:39–01:40)
  • "The statements made immediately after the killing...do seem to be at odds with what we have now seen in multiple videos from the scene." (01:56)

2. Legal Perspective: Attorney for Renee Goode's Family

• Guest: Attorney Antonio Romanucci (34:57–39:56)
• Context: Renee Goode, another Minneapolis resident, was killed weeks prior under similar circumstances.

Discussion Points

• On video evidence:
  • "We've been told that he was brandishing a weapon. The definition of brandishing is you have to see the weapon. It has to be used in an intimidating manner. We don't see that...He was holding the cell phone and his other hand was free." (35:02–35:32)
• On lack of state access to the scene:
  • "If they say they're investigating, why not let other people investigate alongside them?...That's why things escalate, because people don't have answers to what they see." (35:56–36:18)
• Accusations of gaslighting:
  • "You can't conflate...exercising your first amendment right...with being a domestic terrorist. That is completely in opposite and not true." (36:41)
• Federal control over evidence:
  • "It's clear they want control over the evidence. They don't want anybody else to have that control." (39:19)
• Demand for reset:
  • "There needs to be a hard reset here. ICE and Border Patrol, they need to leave...This cannot continue." (37:08)

3. Fareed Zakaria's "Take" from Davos

Theme: U.S. Foreign Policy and Trump’s Leadership Style
Analysis of Trump's Actions at Davos:

• Trump presented a confrontational approach to allies, especially regarding Greenland, described as "transactional" and "the art of the squeeze." (08:19–15:45)
• Responded to European concerns and referenced past American presidents' more restrained, legitimacy-seeking leadership styles.
• Fareed Zakaria:
  • "Trump’s approach to leadership is primarily transactional. He begins by asking who has more leverage. If the answer is him, he pushes as hard and as publicly as he can, not simply to win, but to dominate, extracting the maximum price." (11:00)
  • Contrasts with Franklin Roosevelt and George H.W. Bush, who "understood that how you win matters, and that humiliating a weakening adversary can produce backlash and ruin the peace." (13:45)

4. Analysis with Martin Wolfe (Financial Times) at Davos

State of the World Economy & U.S. Foreign Relationships

• Wolfe observes that economic "normality" persists despite political chaos, thanks to deep structural resilience and innovation. (16:30–18:38)
• Discusses erosion of global trust toward the U.S. following recent aggressive trade practices.
• "Trust is gone...the cumulative costs of the degradation of principle, the degradation of predictability of law, international and domestic, in my view, are bound to be very heavy. But we'll see it slowly." (18:43)
• Everyone is now "hedging," making long-term deals harder, slowing growth despite stability on the surface.

5. Interview with Israeli President Isaac Herzog

Israel’s Security, Regional Change, and Gaza

• Strategic Position:
  • "We are in a better position after fighting a war of various fronts...but the dark clouds are still hanging out there...the Iranians are regrouping...Hezbollah is trying to do the same...the Houthis are out there still conniving..." (22:54–24:22)
• Iranian regime:
  • Herzog claims the regime is "fragile," the populace is "yearning for change," and only regime change "can only be...within the realms of the Iranian people and the international community and its support." (24:45)
• Syria:
  • Expresses cautious optimism regarding new Syrian government, but emphasizes "the proof of the pudding is in the eating." (26:53)

Gaza, Peace, and Regional Diplomacy

• Ceasefire with Hamas:

  • Outlines Trump's "20-point plan" implemented through U.N. Security Council resolution, aiming for a phased peace and subsequent "Marshall Plan for Gaza." (28:42–30:07)
  • Emphasizes: "It cannot be under the thumb of terrorists...It has to be without terrorism and giving a future to the people of Gaza." (29:20)

• Saudi Normalization:

  • "Saudi Arabia is a very, very important nation...it's my dream...to see the Crown Prince...sign with us an agreement...it is clear the position of the Saudis and I'm sure that once we move on to the next phase of the Gaza plan...things will be discussed." (30:24–31:06)

• West Bank, the Two-State Solution, Settlements and Violence:

  • Acknowledges heightened tensions and an upcoming Israeli election: "There's a lot of rethinking and reanalysis...the issue of the two state solution...will be debated." (31:35)

Trump and the Netanyahu Pardon Request

• Trump's Request:
  • Fareed asks: "President Trump has made a direct request to you. He has asked that you pardon Prime Minister Netanyahu in advance for any and all crimes he may have committed. Will you pardon Prime Minister Netanyahu?" (32:34)
  • Herzog responds diplomatically, emphasizing respect for Trump, but commits to acting "according to the rules, the law, and my conscience." (32:48–34:11)
  • Suggests he would respect due process; “I've said time and again that the court case where Prime Minister Netanyahu is at the center of should have been resolved and should be resolved amicably. And because it has a very negative impact on our system." (32:48)

Notable Quotes (with Timestamps & Attribution)

• Anderson Cooper (on the Minneapolis shooting):
  • "The statements made immediately after the killing...do seem to be at odds with what we have now seen in multiple videos from the scene." (01:56)
• John Miller (law enforcement analysis):
  • "The important point is that gun is removed from the scrum before the shots are fired." (05:10)
• Antonio Romanucci (attorney, on transparency):
  • "Don't hide what you're doing. Let us see. Be transparent with the public." (35:56)
• Fareed Zakaria (on Trump’s style):
  • "Trump’s approach to leadership is primarily transactional... For him, diplomacy is the art of the squeeze." (11:00)
• Martin Wolfe (on global trust):
  • "Trust is gone...when everybody hedging, it means there are risks you won't take." (18:43)
• President Herzog (on Middle East security):
  • "All in all, the balance sheet is better, but we should not be kind of over optimistic and believe that all is well." (24:13)
  • "It cannot be under the thumb of terrorists. It cannot be under the guns of terrorists. It has to be without terrorism and giving a future to the people of Gaza." (29:20)

Important Timestamps

• 00:03–06:16: Minneapolis shooting incident, video analysis, and investigation issues
• 06:16–07:53: Normal procedures for investigations and current deviations
• 08:19–16:30: Fareed Zakaria's monologue from Davos on Trump and U.S. foreign relations
• 16:30–20:39: Fareed with Martin Wolfe – world economy, trust, and costs of 'America First' approach
• 21:38–34:12: Interview with Israeli President Herzog – regional issues, Gaza, Iran, Syria, and the Netanyahu pardon
• 34:57–39:56: Anderson Cooper with Renee Goode’s attorney—parallels to Pretti’s case, transparency, calls for reform

Episode Flow

• Begins with urgent local coverage of the Minneapolis shooting and state-federal investigative tensions.
• Transitions to Fareed Zakaria’s global commentary from Davos, focusing on Trump’s approach to allies and U.S. global influence.
• Moves into a discussion on long-term consequences of eroded trust in U.S. leadership, with a focus on trade, alliances, and global uncertainty.
• Delves into a wide-ranging interview with Israel’s President Herzog, who addresses regional security, diplomatic prospects, and a rare presidential pardon request.
• Concludes with a return to Minneapolis, legal analysis of repeated patterns in recent killings, and calls for systemic change.

Overall Takeaways

• Systemic distrust is growing—whether due to federal opacity in police shootings domestically or a more self-interested posture internationally.
• Transparency and due process are demanded both at home and abroad.
• The global order is recalibrating, with rising caution and hedging toward U.S. strategic unpredictability.
• Hope for international cooperation and peace remains, particularly in delicate areas like Gaza and Israeli-Arab normalization, but is countered by local realities and political uncertainties.

This episode serves as a crossroads between urgent domestic injustice and international uncertainty, providing listeners a panoramic view of how power, legitimacy, and trust are being contested and renegotiated in 2026.