The Michael Knowles Show — Ep. 1901
Date: January 29, 2026
Title: BOMBSHELL VIDEO: Alex Pretti Caused Chaos Before Being Killed

Overview

In this episode, Michael Knowles explores the aftermath and political fallout of the recent killing of Alex Pretti by law enforcement in Minneapolis, delving into newly surfaced video evidence of Pretti’s earlier altercations with officers. Knowles critiques the left’s reaction and attempts to martyrize Pretti and Renee Goode, examines the cultural response spearheaded by Bruce Springsteen’s protest song, and discusses broader implications for law enforcement, immigration policy, and political discourse. The episode closes with commentary on modern ethics (via a New York Times column), Trump’s new “Trump Accounts” policy, and a controversial Ohio political candidate’s statements.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Alex Pretti: New Evidence & Missed Opportunity

• [06:00] Knowles unpacks newly surfaced video purportedly showing Alex Pretti spitting on and attacking federal agents two weeks before his fatal encounter:
  • Video analyzed by the BBC confirmed a 97% match to Pretti.
  • The footage shows Pretti “harassing federal agents, screaming at them, spitting, kicking in their taillights.”

    “If the cops had just arrested him and locked him up for the crimes that he was committing two weeks ago, Alex Pretti would be alive today.” — Michael Knowles [08:45]

• Critical Insight: Knowles argues that a failure to enforce the law in “smaller matters” (such as assault, vandalism) directly enables greater tragedy down the line, drawing similarities to past riots and police incidents.
• [10:10] He reiterates:

  “The most charitable thing we can do for these people is to lock them up. They are a danger to society. They are certainly a danger to themselves.” — Michael Knowles [10:10]

2. Cultural Response: Bruce Springsteen’s Protest Song

• [16:00] Knowles dissects Bruce Springsteen’s protest track “Streets of Minneapolis,” which frames Pretti and Goode as victims and federal agents as “occupiers.”
  • He critiques the lyrics for conflating roles of federal agents, and lampoons the metaphor of them as “King Trump’s private army.”
  • Parodying the lyrics, Knowles calls out what he sees as a confused narrative on the left:

    “Are the federal agents occupiers from a distant government, or are they a private army? You’re mixing your metaphors.” — Michael Knowles [19:55]

  • Further, he challenges Springsteen’s rhetoric about “justice” and “mercy”:

    “Is his argument that it would have been merciful to let Renee Goode run over the cop? ... How is that mercy?” — Michael Knowles [22:15]

• [23:00] Knowles concludes Springsteen’s protest and the left’s framing are attempts to rekindle BLM-style activism for political leverage, drawing direct comparisons to 2020’s “Summer of Love.”
• Popular Quote:

  “Part of the reason they [Pretti and Goode] died is because of propaganda like this that poisoned their brains and convinced them that reality is not what it is.” — Michael Knowles [23:05]

3. Political Fallout & Polling

• [29:00] Analysis shifts to Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz’s changing rhetoric—from opposing ICE presence in Minneapolis, to pragmatic negotiations after recent events and political pressure.
• [31:20] Polling breakdown:
  • National support for Trump’s deportations is +10 points.
  • However, 55% of voters also favor removing ICE from Minnesota, reflecting Americans’ discomfort with the optics of enforcement despite supporting the overall policy.
  • “Picture war”: Knowles compares Trump’s strategy to El Salvador’s President Bukele — create images that portray “bad guys” being harshly, justifiably punished to swing public sentiment.

    “You just gotta go full Bukele... No one’s going to feel bad for the guys with the face tattoos.” — Michael Knowles [33:50]

• Lesson: The left focuses on emotive images, but the right can win the narrative by reframing who is being targeted (“Jorge the rapist, Pedro the murderer...”).

4. Trump’s “Trump Accounts” with Nicki Minaj

• [38:45] Trump launches a new policy: a $1,000 “Trump Account” for every child born between 2025–2028, with high-profile endorsement from Nicki Minaj.
  • Barb (Minaj’s fandom) excitement:

    “I will say that I am probably the president’s number one fan and that’s not going to change... He has a lot of force behind him and God is protecting him. Amen.” — Nicki Minaj [39:50]

• [40:30] Policy details:
  • $1,000 federal account at birth, with parental and employer matching options.
  • Could accumulate to $21K with modest contributions, $300K+ at maximum.
  • Praised as a “wonderful, wonderful idea” to encourage family growth and support.
• [41:35] Knowles challenges critics and notes broad popularity:

  “Find me one bad thing to say about this policy. I don’t think you’ll be able to... That should give you pause on all the other Trump policies which are overwhelmingly popular.” — Michael Knowles [41:45]

5. IVF & Bioethics Critique

• [43:10] Segment on Nucleus IVF’s embryo selection menu, allowing parents to choose among embryos based on sex, likely traits, and health risks.
• Knowles’ take is deeply critical, likening it to eugenics and historic infanticide, wrapped in modern technology.

  “The thing that this IVF company is allowing you to give to your children is dead siblings.” — Michael Knowles [43:50]

• Sees little novelty, calling it “very evil, really horrifying, but it’s also pretty boring. We already do all this stuff. Humans have been killing retarded people since antiquity...”
• Broader point: Modern culture touts “choice” without confronting its moral consequences.

6. Modern Ethics Under Scrutiny: NYT “Ethicist” Column

• [48:45] Knowles reads and critiques a New York Times advice column in which a man asks if he should comfort his wife after an affair he consented to.
• Finds the column indicative of an ethics culture divorced from objective right and wrong—focused solely on “consent.”

  “Notice what’s missing in all of this. Any sense of objective reality... Not even the pretense that there is any such thing as an objective moral order.” — Michael Knowles [50:30]

• Satirizes modern academic jargon vs. timeless wisdom of Socrates and Aristotle.

7. Incendiary Rhetoric from Left: Ohio AG Candidate

• [56:15] Knowles highlights Democrat Elliot Forhan’s campaign video:

  “I want to tell you what I mean when I say that I am going to kill Donald Trump. I mean I’m going to obtain a conviction... resulting in a sentence duly executed, of capital punishment.”

• Knowles criticizes,

  “He’s being all cute. I want to kill him, I want his blood running into the sewer, but I’m gonna do it legally. What capital offense has Trump committed?” — Michael Knowles [56:40]

• Cites polling showing up to half of Democrat voters think Trump’s assassination would be justified, warning it reflects a dangerous trend:

  “The people who would celebrate Trump’s death would celebrate your death, too, if they knew what you really believed.” — Michael Knowles [58:15]

• Urges listeners not to disengage, as the stakes of political participation are existential.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “If the cops had just arrested him and locked him up for the crimes that he was committing two weeks ago, Alex Pretti would be alive today.” — Michael Knowles [08:45]
• “The most charitable thing we can do for these people is to lock them up.” — Michael Knowles [10:10]
• “Part of the reason they died is because of propaganda like this that poisoned their brains and convinced them that reality is not what it is.” — Michael Knowles [23:05]
• “Are the federal agents occupiers from a distant government, or are they a private army? You’re mixing your metaphors. It doesn’t work.” — Michael Knowles [19:55]
• “You just gotta go full Bukele... No one’s going to feel bad for the guys with the face tattoos.” — Michael Knowles [33:50]
• “Find me one bad thing to say about this policy. I don’t think you’ll be able to.” — Michael Knowles [41:45]
• “The thing that this IVF company is allowing you to give to your children is dead siblings.” — Michael Knowles [43:50]
• “Notice what’s missing... Any sense of objective reality...” — Michael Knowles [50:30]
• “The people who would celebrate Trump’s death would celebrate your death, too, if they knew what you really believed.” — Michael Knowles [58:15]

Timestamps for Major Segments

• 00:00–05:45 – Advertisements, intro, host returns post-power outage
• 06:00–14:00 – New Alex Pretti video; Knowles’ critique of law enforcement policies
• 16:00–24:00 – Springsteen’s protest song, leftist rhetoric, and Knowles’ lyrical analysis
• 29:00–34:00 – Political fallout, polling, visual warfare, Bukele comparison
• 38:45–42:30 – Trump announces “Trump Accounts”; Nicki Minaj’s endorsement and policy details
• 43:10–47:30 – IVF embryo selection and bioethics
• 48:45–54:00 – NYT “Ethicist” column on affairs & modern morality
• 56:15–59:30 – Ohio AG candidate’s rhetoric, Democrat polling on Trump assassination, warning on political engagement

Conclusion

This episode offers a panoramic view of a political and cultural moment—connecting viral videos and their societal context, pop-culture protest, statistical snapshots of public opinion, and larger ethical debates. Michael Knowles’ tone is direct, skeptical, and often sardonic, with extended rants and literary references, culminating in a warning about the polarization and dangers of current political discourse.