Fox & Friends co-host Brian Kilmeade publicly urged the president to deploy border czar Tom Homan to Minneapolis to “settle things down,” a suggestion the president quickly acted upon.
Initially, Murdoch's media outlets, such as Fox News and TheNew York Post, echoed the administration's claims that Pretti had brandished a weapon, despite video evidence contradicting this.
Fox News' Bill Melugin, citing internal DHS sources, later reported that Pretti never drew his holstered firearm, prompting a significant shift in editorial stance across Murdoch's publications, including The Wall Street Journal.
This media pressure, alongside declining approval ratings for immigration policies, reportedly led the president to soften his approach, resulting in Homan's deployment, constructive calls with Minnesota officials, and the removal of Border Patrol commander-at-large Greg Bovino.