Trump administration's trust and credibility tested in wake of Pretti's death in Minneapolis

WASHINGTON (AP) — Sen. Bill Cassidy didn't simply criticize the immigration crackdown in Minneapolis.

Following the killing of Alex Jeffrey Pretti by a U.S. Border Patrol officer, the Louisiana Republican warned of broader implications for the federal government.

“The credibility of ICE and DHS are at stake,” Cassidy wrote in a social media post, referring to Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Department of Homeland Security. “There must be a full joint federal and state investigation. We can trust the American people with the truth.”

Trust is one of a president's most valuable currencies, especially in a time of crisis. During his second term, President Donald Trump has persistently undermined the trust and credibility of major universities, national law firms and media and taken punitive actions against them. His supporters largely either endorsed those actions or stayed mum.

Now the credibility question is aimed at his administration. While the criticism is not directly aimed at the president by his supporters, it is a sign that trust is eroding over some of his most important policies. Administration officials gave one account of the shooting in Minneapolis and contemporaneous video provided a decidedly different one.

In the hours after Pretti's killing, top Trump officials including Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem were quick to cast Pretti as an instigator who “approached” officers with a gun and acted violently. But videos from the scene show Pretti being pushed by an officer before a half-dozen agents descend on him.

During the scuffle, he held a phone but is never seen brandishing the 9mm semiautomatic handgun police say he was licensed to carry. The administration has said investigations are ongoing, though information hasn't yet emerged to support some of the provocative initial claims.

“We trust our national leaders to tell us accurately about the world that we don’t experience directly but about which they have knowledge,” said Kathleen Hall Jamieson, the director of the Annenberg Public Policy Center at the University of Pennsylvania. “If someone is credible in that role, then their description of reality should match your perception of reality if you’re a dispassionate, fair individual.”

The White House seemed to try to ease the conflict Monday. Trump and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz spoke and both suggested their conversation was productive. Border Patrol commander Greg Bovino, who has been at the center of the administration’s aggressive immigration enforcement surge nationwide, is expected to soon leave Minneapolis.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, meanwhile, sought to distance Trump from some of the initial claims about Pretti — including allegations that he was a domestic terrorist — noting they didn't come from the president himself.

Still, lawmakers from both parties — including many Republicans — called for independent investigations and, perhaps most importantly, trust.

In calling for a “transparent, independent investigation,” Sen. John Curtis, R-Utah, wrote to constituents online that “you've trusted me, and maintaining that trust matters.”

“I disagree with Secretary Noem’s premature DHS response, which came before all the facts were known and weakened confidence,” he wrote.

Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., is pushing an amendment to a DHS funding bill that would force independent probes of DHS, ICE and Customs and Border Patrol. She hasn't yet won GOP support for the measure but said in a statement “this isn't a red or blue issue.”

“It's about truth and accountability,” she said.

Trump and his team have spent much of his second term studiously feeding content to social media platforms to engage their most loyal supporters in ways that independent fact checkers have found to be distorted or baseless. During its immigration crackdown, the administration's accounts have posted unflattering images of people being taken into custody.

The extent of efforts to manipulate images became clear last week when the White House posted a picture on its X page of civil rights attorney Nekima Levy Armstrong crying with her hands behind her back as she was escorted by a blurred person wearing a badge. The photo was captioned in all caps: “Arrested far-left agitator Nekima Levy Armstrong for orchestrating church riots in Minnesota.”

A photo posted by Noem’s account showed the same image with Levy Armstrong wearing a neutral expression.

During the 2024 campaign, Trump and his running mate, JD Vance, fueled false claims online that Haitians in an Ohio community were abducting and eating pets. Pressed on the issue, Vance said he was amplifying the claims to draw attention to immigration policies advocated by Democrats.

“If I have to create stories so that the American media actually pays attention to the suffering of the American people, then that’s what I’m going to do,” Vance said at the time, quickly clarifying that he “created the focus that allowed the media to talk about this story and the suffering caused by policies.”

Trump is hardly the first president to face questions about trust.

President Lyndon B. Johnson's administration was undone by his handling of the Vietnam War, which ushered in an era of broad skepticism about Washington. Just 38% of Americans said last year that they trusted the federal government's ability to handle domestic problems at least a fair amount, according to Gallup polling. That's down from 70% in 1972.

Once they leave the White House, presidents are often candid about mistakes that eroded their credibility. In his memoir, President George W. Bush wrote about the failure to find weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, which was a predicate for launching a deadly and costly war there.

“That was a massive blow to our credibility — my credibility,” he wrote. “No one was more shocked or angry than I was when we didn't find the weapons. I had a sickening feeling every time I thought about it. I still do.”

President Joe Biden's botched withdrawal from Afghanistan marked a turning point in his administration. And in her memoir of the 2024 campaign, his vice president, Kamala Harris, wrote of rejecting the Biden campaign's talking points after his dismal debate performance.

“I was not about to tell the American people that their eyes had lied,” she wrote. “I would not jeopardize my own credibility.”

But none of that compares to the credibility challenge facing Trump, according to Barbara Perry, the co-director of the Presidential Oral History Program at the University of Virginia's Miller Center, who noted the sheer volume of lies and exaggerations that have emerged from his administration.

“Donald Trump is unique,” she said. “If you count up all of the times he has prevaricated, it would have to outweigh all other presidencies.”

President Donald Trump walks from Marine One after arriving on the South Lawn of the White House, Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt speaks with reporters in the James Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House, Monday, Jan. 26, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

U.S. Border Patrol Cmdr. Gregory Bovino stands with Federal agents outside a convenience store on Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Angelina Katsanis)

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem speaks during a news conference at Federal Emergency Management Agency headquarters, Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) — The entire executive committee of the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) resigned Wednesday after a scandal involving the naturalization of seven foreign-born players led to FIFA sanctions, a court appeal and intensified scrutiny of the country’s soccer governance.

All committee members, elected 11 months ago for the 2025–2029 term, stepped down with immediate effect in a unanimous and voluntary decision in order to protect the association’s credibility.

The mass resignation followed FIFA’s decision last September to fine the association about $450,000 and suspending the seven players for a year after determining that fake documents had been filed to support their naturalization. The players — Facundo Garcés, Rodrigo Holgado, Imanol Machuca, João Figueiredo, Gabriel Palmero, Jon Irazabal and Héctor Hevel— were also fined individually.

The seven, who originate from Argentina, Brazil, the Netherlands and Spain, went on to play for Malaysia, including in a qualifying match for the 2027 Asian Cup that Malaysia won against Vietnam.

Malaysian officials had maintained that all seven players were eligible under FIFA rules because each had a grandparent born in Malaysia. FIFA, however, said its investigators obtained original documents from the players’ countries of origin that contradicted those claims.

In a statement Wednesday, FAM said the committee had been elected for a four-year mandate covering the 2025–2029 term and the decision to resign after just 11 months demonstrated that service to Malaysian soccer takes precedence over holding office.

The mass resignation was intended to safeguard the association’s reputation and mitigate further consequences for Malaysian football, it said. It would allow FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation to review governance, administrative and procedural matters within FAM, and ensure any reforms can be undertaken without distraction or perceived conflicts of interest, it said.

“The executive committee recognizes the importance of collective responsibility and the need to act in a manner that protects the integrity and standing of the sssociation,” the statement said.

FAM said the move was aimed at restoring confidence among supporters, stakeholders and the wider football community, emphasizing that institutional credibility is essential to the stability and future development of the sport in Malaysia. The outgoing leadership will fully cooperate with FIFA, the AFC and other stakeholders. No timeline was announced for interim leadership or new elections.

Acting FAM president Mohamad Yusoff Mahadi told local media that committee secretary-general Noor Azman Rahman will continue overseeing day-to-day operations of the governing body, which is expected to convene a congress to appoint a new executive committee.

After FIFA rejected FAM’s appea l, it took the case to sports highest court based in Switzerland. FAM said Tuesday that the Court of Arbitration for Sport had temporarily halted the FIFA-imposed ban on the players, allowing them to compete while an appeal is reviewed. It didn't say when a final ruling is expected.

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

FILE -Malaysia's Rodrigo Holgado, left, vies for the ball with Vietnam's Do Duy Manh during the AFC Asian Cup qualifier Group F soccer match between Malaysia and Vietnam at the National Stadium Bukit Jalil in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, June 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian, File)