First lady Melania Trump issued a rare political statement on Tuesday, calling for peaceful protesting in Minneapolis following weeks of civil unrest as demonstrators demand that federal immigration agents leave the state.
“I’m calling for unity,” she said Tuesday morning on “Fox & Friends,” when asked what her message was for unifying “both sides” of the immigration debate.
“I’m against the violence, so please, if you protest, protest in peace. And we need to unify in this time,” she said.
Protests have been underway in Minnesota since the Trump administration’s immigration surge began in December, but two fatal shootings during confrontations with immigration agents this month have intensified political debate and dissent.
Mrs. Trump, herself an immigrant from Slovenia, rarely chimes in on public discourse, especially if her comments stray away from her husband’s.
But during an interview to promote her upcoming biographical movie, she said that President Trump had a “great call” with Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, both Democrats, on Monday.
“They’re working together to make it peaceful and without riots,” she said.
Mrs. Trump’s plea came a day after the president said the three had “very good” calls to find a path forward to calm tensions in the state following the fatal shootings by federal agents.
“It was a very good call, and we, actually, seemed to be on a similar wavelength,” Mr. Trump said. Mr. Walz requested that they “work together” to address the chaos in the state.
But immediately after Mr. Trump’s post, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt scathingly criticized Mr. Walz and Mr. Frey, saying that they “encourage left-wing agitators to stalk and record, confront and obstruct federal officers.”
Hours after nurse Alex Pretti was shot on the streets Saturday during an immigration protest, Mr. Trump said on social media that the two Minnesota officials are “inciting Insurrection, with their pompous, dangerous, and arrogant rhetoric!”
