Trump scrambles to 'de-escalate' as immigration crackdown sparks backlash he can’t control

President Donald Trump is suddenly realizing Democrats have boxed him in over the explosive immigration crackdown in Minnesota, Greg Sargent argued in The New Republic, prompting a cosmetic “pivot” meant to calm outrage without changing anything meaningful. While the White House is leaking talk of cooperation and de-escalation after deadly ICE operations in Minneapolis, Sargent writes that Trump is merely scapegoating one Border Patrol official while protecting everyone else involved — including top DHS leadership — from accountability.