Summary5 min read

The Parnas Perspective

Episode: Breaking: Political Disaster Emerges for Trump as Republicans, Democrats, and Independent Break
Host: Aaron Parnas
Date: January 26, 2026

Overview

In this hard-hitting episode, Aaron Parnas unpacks the rapidly unfolding political fallout after the murder of Alex Preddy by ICE officers—a story sending shockwaves through American politics. As the incident destabilizes bipartisan support for ICE and the Trump administration, Aaron dives into the shifting narratives, political backpedaling, and the rare moment of near-universal condemnation from across the political spectrum. The episode delivers clarity and deep analysis on how this single event has become a defining crisis for the White House and its allies.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. White House in Crisis: Shifting Narrative and Assigning Blame

The White House’s response to the murder of Alex Preddy is under intense scrutiny, with officials “subtly throwing Kristi Noem [DHS Secretary] and Greg Bovino [CBP Border Chief] under the bus” ([00:00]).
Centrist Democrats express regret for supporting ICE funding; Republicans like Texas Governor Greg Abbott call for ICE’s mission to be “recalibrated” ([00:14]).
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz pushes President Trump to “pull [federal] forces back,” highlighting the administration’s isolation as polling “tumbles” post-incident.

2. Press Conference: Notable Admissions and Walkbacks

Caroline Levitt, a Trump administration spokesperson, holds an emergency press conference:
- For the first time, Trump declines to label Alex Preddy a “domestic terrorist,” a term previously used by key allies.
- Quote:
  Reporter: “Does the president agree with them [that Preddy is a domestic terrorist]?”
  Levitt: “I have not heard the President characterize Mr. Preddy in that way. ... He wants to let the facts and the investigation lead itself.” ([01:16]–[01:34])
The move represents a sharp departure from the administration’s earlier language and signals unease over the political blowback.

3. Internal Disarray: Sidelining of Greg Bovino

Press conference reveals shuffling in leadership:
- Levitt throws CBP’s Greg Bovino “under the bus,” confirming he’ll be sidelined in Minnesota operations in favor of Tom Homan.
- Quote:
  Levitt: “Mr. Homan will be the main point of contact on the ground in Minneapolis.” ([02:06]–[02:20])
Aaron notes the significance: “With that, Greg Bovino has been sidelined. It’s now Tom Homan show in Minneapolis. That is a very significant development.” ([02:20])

4. Administration’s Doublespeak on the Murder

When pressed if President Trump saw Preddy’s killing as a mistake or wanted body cam footage released, Levitt deflects:
- Quote:
  Levitt: “The president has said... the investigation needs to continue and he’s letting the facts... lead itself.” ([02:43])
Aaron contrasts this evasiveness with the administration’s forceful response to previous incidents, noting the shifting approach amid public outrage.

5. Polling Implosion: ICE and DHS Approval Ratings Plummet

Analyst breaks down the collapse in support for ICE and DHS:
- ICE’s net approval: From near zero at the start of Trump’s term, to “-17 points in June 2025,” now plummeting to “-27 points” ([03:13]).
- DHS positive ratings: Dropped from 59% (2017) to 42%—“the same story we’re seeing, no matter which poll... the popularity... has completely fallen” under Trump’s second term ([04:05]–[04:20]).
The Minneapolis and Los Angeles actions “have been very much rejected by the American people. It has been a political disaster for... the second Trump administration.” ([04:53])

6. Bipartisan Unraveling: Criticism Across the Spectrum

Greg Abbott (R–TX): Calls for ICE to “get back to what they wanted to do... recalibrate on what needs to be done” ([05:41]).
Rep. Tom Suozzi (centrist Democrat): Admits regret over voting for ICE funding, calling Preddy’s death “murder”—an unprecedented move for a moderate ([05:41]).
MN Governor Tim Walz urges Trump for “impartial investigations” and points out that Minnesota is already cooperating with federal immigration enforcement.

7. Aaron’s Commentary: Calling Out Official Lies

Aaron forcefully asserts the need for journalistic integrity:
- Quote:
  “What happened to Alex Preddy... was murder. ... No media personality, no journalist should say anything, but... No maybe. No, no, no. You don’t just repeat lies just because an administration official says it. ... You have to call it out for what it is, a lie. ... The only reason they’re changing... is because we’re calling it out, because we’re speaking up.” ([06:41])
Emphasizes that Preddy (an ICU nurse) was “unarmed... killed by ICE officers in the streets of the United States... some may even say it was an execution.” ([06:53])

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

Aaron Parnas:
“The White House is having a crisis of PR, so to speak, because the American people, the left, the right, the center, they’re all kind of turning on Trump in what really seems to be a perfect storm.” ([00:24])
Caroline Levitt (Trump Spokesperson):
“I have not heard the President characterize Mr. Preddy in that way. ... He wants to let the facts and the investigation lead itself.” ([01:25]–[01:34])
Analyst:
“ICE’s net approval rating... dropped down. ... But then after Minneapolis, it’s even lower, minus 27 points.” ([03:17]–[03:30])
Aaron Parnas:
“No journalist should say, well, maybe he was a domestic terrorist. ... You have to call it out for what it is, a lie.” ([06:41])

Timestamps for Key Segments

00:00–01:16: Breaking developments, shifting blame, crisis context
01:16–02:20: Trump administration walks back “domestic terrorist” claims; internal reshuffling
02:20–03:13: President’s ambiguous response; refusal to release body cam footage
03:13–04:53: Data breakdown—ICE and DHS approval ratings tank
05:00–05:41: Bipartisan acknowledgment of disaster; Abbott and Suozzi break ranks
05:41–End: Aaron’s call to action for media honesty, final thoughts

Conclusion

This episode exposes a rare and massive political crisis enveloping the Trump administration after Alex Preddy’s murder by ICE. Aaron Parnas methodically tracks the White House’s narrative collapse, bipartisan fractures, and surging public outrage, making clear that no corner of the political spectrum is left untouched. This is essential listening for anyone tracking law, politics, and the power of public accountability in real time.

Loading summary

Transcript18 lines

[00:00]
A
We have major developments this afternoon. Right now following the horrific murder of Alex Preddy, the White House narrative is actively shifting. White House is subtly throwing Kristi Noem under the bus. Greg Bovino under the bus. Meanwhile, centrist Democrats who voted for ICE funding are coming out saying they regret voting for it. Greg Abbott, the Republican governor of Texas, has come out saying that ICE needs to recalibrate its mission, all while Governor Tim Wall spoke with Donald Trump about the president on the ground, telling the president, you need to pull your forces back. And while right now the White House is having a crisis of pr, so to speak, because the American people, the left, the right, the center, they're all kind of turning on Trump in what really seems to be a perfect storm as polling numbers tumble for the administration over immigration following the murder of Alex Preddy and Renee Nicole Goode, make sure to like, comment, share and subscribe. The more you like, the more people see this. So please do that and then subscribe to my substack by clicking the link below to support my work. Let's just jump right into it. This afternoon, Caroline Levitt held a press conference where she admitted that for the first time Donald Trump did not call Alex Preddy a domestic terrorist. Take a listen.
[01:17]
B
To follow on Gabe's question, Secretary Noem said Alex Preddy committed an act of domestic terrorism. Stephen Miller labeled Preddy a domestic terrorist. Does the president agree with them?
[01:26]
C
Ms. Look, as I've said, I have not heard the President characterize Mr. Freddy in that way. However, I have heard the president say he wants to let the facts and the investigation lead itself.
[01:35]
B
Was he alarmed to hear his top officials referring to him in that way, rushing to that judge?
[01:39]
A
That is significant because as you know, Stephen Miller, Kristi Noem rushed out and said, you know what? He is a domestic terrorist. Alex Preddy, everyone, especially this White House, they're walking it back. Now I want you to take a listen to Caroline Levitt actively throwing Greg Bovino, the CBP border chief, under the bus. Take a listen to this one.
[02:00]
D
To Minnesota. Is Gregory Bovino also going to remain in Minnesota overseeing these ice operations?
[02:06]
C
Ms. Bovino is a wonderful man and he's a great professional. He is going to very much continue to lead Customs and Border Patrol throughout and across the country. Mr. Homan will be the main point of contact on the ground in Minneapolis.
[02:20]
A
And with that, Greg Bovino has been sidelined. It's now Tom Homan show in Minneapolis. That is a very significant development. Greg Bovino has obviously led this charge. Now it's going to be Homan. And well take a listen to what Caroline Levitt had to say about the president's reaction to the murder of Alex.
[02:38]
E
Does the president believe that the killing though was a mistake? Has he expressed that at all?
[02:44]
C
Again, the president has said, you know, we have to review it and their invest this investigation needs to continue and he's letting the facts on the investigation lead itself.
[02:53]
E
Does he want the body camera footage to be released now?
[02:57]
A
She didn't commit to releasing the body camera footage. She said that the investigation must continue. This is a far cry from the president's reaction to the murder of Renee Nicole Goode. A far cry to the way they've been talking about this before. And here is why. Because polling right now for this administration is tanking in real time. Take a listen to this.
[03:14]
F
I'm not really surprised that President Trump is sending Tom Homan in because ice, dhs, Kristine, have been a political disaster because just take a look here. I mean ISIS net approval rating during Trump's term. You go back to term number one, look, it was, it's pretty even zero points. You go to June 2025, right? That was when all that stuff was going on in Los Angeles. They dropped down. Look at this, -17 points way in the basement. But then after Minneapolis, it's even lower, minus 27 points on the net approval rating of ICE. Of course, this all being done under Kristi Noem. So no, what's going on in Minneapolis is not popular at all. What's been going on during this second term under ICE under the Trump administration under Kristin Noem has very much not been popular and it's only be getting more and more unpopular.
[04:04]
D
What about dhs? Kind of more broadly.
[04:06]
F
Yeah. Okay. So you know, we're going to start down low. We'll start with ICE and then we'll raise it to dhs. And again, it's just the same exact story, right? DHS is doing an excellent or good job. The Department of Homeland security during Trump's first term, look where it was in late 2017. Right, right around this point, 59%. That's pretty gosh darn good. But look at where it is now in Trump term number two. By late last year it was down to 42%. So this is the same story that we're seeing. No matter which poll question we look at the popularity of ice, of DHS has completely fallen under the second Trump term, the second Trump administration, whereby what we were seeing during Trump's term, number one was hey, ice, dhs pretty popular. Certainly not unpopular. But all the actions in Minneapolis, in Los Angeles, in these major American cities have been very much rejected by the American people. It has been a political disaster for, for the second Trump administration.
[05:01]
D
And, well, and now, I mean, as Berman was just reading what the President was just sending out, he's now sending in Tom Holman. His borders are into Minnesota, which leads to questions of what about the leadership of the Secretary of Homeland Security, who has inserted herself very publicly to be kind of front and center in all of these operations.
[05:21]
F
Yeah, as I said at the top, I just think there's a real reason for it. And, and as you cause Kristi Noem, simply put, Cake has not been popular and everything she's done for the most part has not been popular. I mean, just look at her net approval rating in July of 2025. It was minus 11 points. It's actually gotten more unpopular now.
[05:42]
A
A political disaster for the President, for the White House. That is where, I mean, that is where we're at right now. And it's, you know, you know how you know it's bad when Governor Greg Abbott says immigration officials should, quote, get back to what they wanted to do to begin with. In general, we need to have respect for law enforcement. So they being the White House, need to, quote, recalibrate on what needs to be done to make sure that the respect is going to be reinstilled. Re encalibrate. He wants ICE's mission to be recalibrated. That's how you know things are bad. You want to know how things are bad? Because Tom Suozzi, a moderate Democrat, a centrist Democrat who would never admit that he was wrong on this vote, came out and said that he was wrong to vote for ICE funding calling the death of Alex Preddy a murder. That's how you know it's bad for the White House. That's how you know it's bad for moderates. Governor Wall said he had a productive call with Donald Trump today. He made the case for impartial investigations. He reminded Trump that the Minnesota Department of Corrections already honors federal detainers by notifying ICE when a person committed to its custody, as in a US Citizen, he asked for and Trump said he would look into reducing the number of agents in the state. Now, if you're watching this, I do want to say things. One thing from a journalistic perspective. I've been reporting on this for now, non stop for 48 hours, even as TikTok has censored me. Platforms don't want me to see this. So make sure to like, comment, share and subscribe. Yeah. There's no gray area here. We are living in a moment right now where journalists, where the media just needs to call it like it is. What happened to Alex Preddy over the weekend was murder. And in fact, some may even say it was an execution because he was unarmed and he was killed by ICE officers in the streets of the United States of America. Alex Preddy was a good man, an ICU nurse, and he was murdered by ICE officers. No media personality, no journalist should say anything, but no journalist should say, well, maybe he was a domestic terrorist man. No maybe. No, no, no. You don't just repeat lies just because an administration official says it. You have to call it out for what it is, a lie. And there were a lot of lies coming out of this White House. And the only reason they're changing their mind right now and changing what they're saying is because we're calling it out, because we're speaking up. And we can't stop now. So make sure to, like, comment, share and subscribe. Support my work by subscribing to my substack by clicking the link below. I'll have another update for you very soon, so stay tuned for more. Hey folks, thanks so much for watching. Feel free to add this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or anywhere you watch for the latest breaking news and daily hits throughout the day. Make sure to follow subscribe. See you soon for more.