Male Nurse “Acting Like Maniac,” says Kustoff
Rep. David Kustoff (R-TN) is urging Americans — and his fellow lawmakers — to slow down and wait for the facts after newly released video footage upended the early media narrative surrounding a male nurse who was fatally shot during a confrontation with federal agents.
Appearing on Newsmax with host Todd Starnes, Kustoff addressed the incident after video released by the BBC showed the man aggressively confronting a vehicle occupied by federal law-enforcement officers days before his death.
“He is ranting and raving and using a lot of f-words,” Kustoff said, describing the video, noting that male nurse Alex Pretti was “acting like a maniac.”
“That video changes everything,” Starnes said, noting that many public officials and media outlets had initially portrayed the man as a blameless victim while condemning federal agents before key facts were known.
Kustoff agreed, calling the rush to judgment a familiar and troubling pattern in the age of social media.
“In this age of social media, everybody thinks they know all the facts,” Kustoff said. “I’ve watched that video several times. He was ranting, raving, screaming profanities, kicking a law-enforcement vehicle and breaking a taillight. He clearly antagonized those officers.”
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The congressman questioned why the man was not detained after the earlier incident captured on video, suggesting that intervention at that point might have prevented the fatal encounter altogether.
“It’s tragic,” Kustoff said. “But people need to go watch the video themselves before issuing statements.”
Starnes said the footage also offered a sobering look at what federal agents endure daily while enforcing the law, particularly officers with ICE and the Department of Homeland Security.
Kustoff pushed back against Democratic demands that agents remove face coverings, warning that officers are being doxed and targeted by activists.
“These agents and their families are being threatened,” he said. “They’re vilified by the far left, and they have to protect themselves.”
The congressman credited Donald Trump with restoring order at the southern border and supporting federal law enforcement after years of chaos under the Biden administration.
“ICE agents and border patrol have done a great job,” Kustoff said. “The numbers have dwindled, and now the far left wants to take their fury out on the people enforcing the law.”
Starnes noted that border czar Tom Homan was holding a press conference as the interview aired, while Democratic leaders in Minneapolis continued to resist cooperation with federal authorities. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz have both vowed not to enforce federal immigration law.
Kustoff contrasted that stance with Memphis, where cooperation between local, state, and federal agencies has led to more than 5,500 arrests, hundreds of gang members taken off the streets, and nearly 150 missing children recovered.
“Minneapolis could take a cue from Memphis,” he said.
Looking ahead to a possible government shutdown, Kustoff said Republicans are standing firm against Democratic efforts to defund Homeland Security, noting that House Republicans, under Mike Johnson, have already passed funding legislation with bipartisan support.
“To defund Homeland Security makes no sense,” Kustoff said, adding that Senate leadership, including John Thune, is pushing for passage.
Starnes closed by praising law-enforcement officers nationwide, calling their work “remarkable” — and reminding viewers that facts, not viral narratives, should guide public judgment.
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