Letters from an American – January 24, 2026

Host: Heather Cox Richardson
Summary Date: January 26, 2026

Episode Overview

In this poignant and urgent episode, historian Heather Cox Richardson dissects the events surrounding the fatal shooting of Alex Jeffrey Preddy, an ICU nurse, by federal agents in Minneapolis. Richardson contextualizes the incident within broader patterns of government overreach, contested law enforcement practices, media narratives, political spin, and rising public outrage. Through a close analysis of on-the-ground reporting, official statements, social media discourse, and historical precedent, she exposes the mechanisms of state power, the battle over truth, and the political ramifications roiling through both Minnesota and the nation.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Events in Minneapolis: The Killing of Alex Preddy

• Timeline of the Incident

  • Preddy, a nurse, was seen directing traffic and helping an injured woman before federal agents surrounded and fatally shot him. ([00:00])
  • Graphic details: agents pepper-sprayed, tackled, disarmed, and then shot Preddy, continuing to fire even after he was apparently dead.
  • "It looked like an execution." ([01:52])

• Immediate Aftermath and Response

  • Federal agents did not secure the crime scene.
  • Civilians tried to cordon off the area with trash bins.
  • Federal officials blocked state investigators from the scene, even after the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension obtained a search warrant.
  • A judge—appointed by Trump—issued a temporary restraining order to stop DHS agents from destroying evidence.

• Official Narratives vs. Video Evidence

  • DHS issued initial statements alleging Preddy was armed and violently resisted.
  • Journalistic investigations and video evidence contradicted this, showing Preddy holding only a phone and not reaching for a weapon.
  • "Lying to the American people is the only option for the administration when we can once again all see what happened with our own eyes." ([07:52])

2. Political and Media Fallout

• Federal and Local Tensions

  • Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O'Hara demanded federal agencies operate with "discipline, humanity and integrity."
  • DHS insists on investigating itself, raising transparency concerns.

• Partisan Reactions and Escalation

  • Democratic politicians called for ICE removal from Minnesota, refusal to fund certain law enforcement.

  • White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller and others framed Preddy as an "assassin," branding Democrats as siding with terrorists.

  • Quote:

    • Stephen Miller: "A would-be assassin tried to murder federal law enforcement and the official Democrat account sides with the terrorists." ([08:12])
    • Democrats respond: "You're a f liar with blood on your hands." ([08:20])

3. Analysis of Administrative Motives & Electoral Context

• Voter Roll Demands

  • Attorney General Pam Bondi linked “law and order” with demands for Minnesota’s voter rolls, implying federal violence is leverage for election data ahead of 2026.

• National Political Stakes

  • Trump's insistence he won Minnesota in previous elections underlines the political backdrop.

• Legislative Leverage

  • G. Eliot Morris highlights that only 23 Republican votes (across House and Senate) could end ICE funding and halt killings.

  • Trump’s approval rating is noted as negative in 40 states, including many previously won.

  • Quote:

    • G. Eliot Morris: "All it would take to end the murder of American citizens by an untrained government goon squad is 16 Republicans in Congress voting with Democrats to defund ICE, or 23 to impeach and remove Trump... 23 Americans can vote for the public and end all of this." ([11:20])

4. Broader Culture of Federal Violence

• Reaction from Across the Political Spectrum

  • Even right-wing voices like Tim Pool expressed skepticism:
    • "It looked as if the agent had disarmed Preddy before... I don't see Trump winning this one." ([12:04])

• Congressional Outrage

  • Rep. Seth Moulton (D-MA), Marine veteran, condemned ICE agents:
    • "Those federal ICE officers are absolute cowards... if a Marine did that... he would be court martialed because it is murder... You guys are criminal thugs." ([13:17-13:52])

• Further Incidents

  • Another named citizen, Matthew James Allen, was pinned to the street by agents just hours after the Preddy killing, pleading with agents that he had "done nothing at all." ([14:04])

  • Quote:

    • Matthew James Allen (during arrest): "You're going to have to kill me. I have done nothing wrong." ([14:10])

5. The Personal and Societal Cost

• Social Commentary

  • Jess Piper, Executive Director of Blue Missouri:
    • "And there is no shade of white that will save you from this murderous regime." ([14:30])

• The Preddy Family’s Statement

  • Susan and Michael Preddy decry the administration's "sickening lies" and call Alex a "kind-hearted soul."
  • "Alex is clearly not holding a gun when attacked by Trump's murdering and cowardly ICE thugs. He had his phone in his right hand and his empty left hand is raised above his head while trying to protect the woman ICE just pushed down, all while being pepper sprayed. Please get the truth out about our son. He was a good man." ([14:44])

Memorable Quotes

• Heather Cox Richardson:

  • "It looked like an execution." ([01:52])
  • "Lying to the American people is the only option for the administration when we can once again all see what happened with our own eyes." ([07:52])

• Stephen Miller:

  • "A would-be assassin tried to murder federal law enforcement and the official Democrat account sides with the terrorists." ([08:12])

• G. Eliot Morris:

  • "All it would take to end the murder of American citizens by an untrained government goon squad is 16 Republicans in Congress voting with Democrats to defund ICE, or 23 to impeach and remove Trump... 23 Americans can vote for the public and end all of this." ([11:20])

• Rep. Seth Moulton (D-MA):

  • "Those federal ICE officers are absolute cowards... If a Marine did that... he would be court martialed because it is murder... You guys are criminal thugs." ([13:17-13:52])

• Susan and Michael Preddy:

  • "The sickening lies told about our son by the administration are reprehensible and disgusting. Alex is clearly not holding a gun when attacked by Trump's murdering and cowardly ICE thugs... Please get the truth out about our son. He was a good man." ([14:44])

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:00 – 03:30: Narration of the Preddy shooting and immediate aftermath
• 03:31 – 07:40: Discussion of federal/state conflict, mounting legal action
• 07:41 – 10:20: Contradictory narratives, media verification, political spin
• 10:21 – 13:16: Legislative analysis, broader political context
• 13:17 – 14:03: Congressional reactions—statements from Rep. Moulton
• 14:04 – 14:30: Second incident (Matthew James Allen); public responses
• 14:31 – 14:52: Preddy family statement; closing appeals

Tone and Style

Richardson’s language is direct, historically informed, and at times urgent. She weaves journalistic detail with critical analysis, challenging official narratives with evidence and highlighting both immediate and national stakes. The mood is grave, with an undercurrent of advocacy for transparency, justice, and democratic accountability.

For listeners or readers seeking to understand the full implications of the Minneapolis shooting, this episode provides not just a detailed narration, but a framework for connecting state violence to political motivations, democratic institutions, and the power of public truth.