Trump Faces Rare Conservative Media Revolt as Immigration Tactics Trigger Polling Slide

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump has built much of his political career on a singular assumption: that immigration enforcement, no matter how aggressively pursued, would remain a political strength. For years, it did. But as images from Minneapolis circulate nationwide — showing federal immigration officers involved in deadly encounters and controversial street-level arrests — that assumption is beginning to fracture, even within the conservative media ecosystem that once served as his most reliable shield.

Recent polling from Fox News, long regarded as a bellwether for Republican voter sentiment, shows the president underwater on immigration — a development that would have been nearly unthinkable during his first term. According to the survey, 59 percent of respondents now say Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has become “too aggressive,” compared with just 17 percent who believe enforcement has not gone far enough. The remainder say current efforts are about right.

The shift is striking not only for its substance, but for its source. Fox News polls, often dismissed by Mr. Trump when unfavorable, have historically tracked closely with Republican base attitudes. This time, however, the numbers align with a broader pattern of public unease driven by televised footage from Minneapolis, where two recent killings involving federal agents have become a flashpoint in the national debate over immigration enforcement.

At the center of the controversy is the shooting death of Alex Pretty, an incident initially described by Department of Homeland Security officials as a confrontation involving a dangerous individual. Video later contradicted key elements of that account, showing Mr. Pretty holding a phone and recording agents moments before he was killed. The discrepancy ignited criticism not only from civil rights advocates and Democrats, but from conservative commentators who argued that the administration’s rush to define the narrative had backfired.

“This is not the kind of civil society we need to live in,” Sean Hannity, one of Mr. Trump’s most influential media allies, said on air, criticizing ICE’s public messaging and specifically questioning the optics of arrests at places like Home Depot. “People will trust you more if you say, ‘I got it wrong.’”

Such statements reflect an unusual moment of open dissent from within conservative media ranks. Rupert Murdoch’s outlets, including Fox News and the New York Post, have increasingly framed coverage of Minneapolis as a warning rather than a defense — urging the White House to recalibrate its approach before political damage deepens.

Brian Kilmeade, a co-host of Fox & Friends, went so far as to publicly implore Mr. Trump to deploy Tom Homan, the former acting ICE director, to Minnesota. Mr. Homan, a veteran of both Republican and Democratic administrations, is widely viewed as a disciplined operator with credibility across partisan lines. Within hours of the broadcast, Mr. Trump announced that he was sending Mr. Homan to Minnesota, saying he would “report directly” to the president.

The episode reinforced a familiar dynamic of the Trump presidency: policy decisions shaped in real time by cable television. But it also underscored something more consequential — that the president’s media allies were no longer merely amplifying his message, but attempting to contain it.

“This is damage control,” said one Republican strategist, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to avoid antagonizing the White House. “They’re not trying to undermine him. They’re trying to save him from himself.”

The concern is not limited to immigration. Fox News polling also shows declining approval of Mr. Trump’s handling of the economy, with overall approval slipping below 40 percent and disapproval rising sharply, even among core Republican voters. While the White House continues to tout border closures and deportation numbers as fulfillment of campaign promises, voters appear increasingly unsettled by what they see on their screens — and by economic pressures they feel in their daily lives.

Critics argue that the administration has conflated toughness with effectiveness, mistaking visible force for public support. Arrests carried out in broad daylight, viral videos of chaotic encounters, and aggressive rhetoric labeling suspects as terrorists before investigations conclude have, in their view, eroded trust.

“There’s a temptation to be first rather than right,” said a former federal prosecutor during a televised panel discussion. “Let the facts lead your talking, not the other way around.”

Democratic officials in Minnesota have accused the administration of inflaming tensions for political gain, while Republicans counter that local leaders are encouraging resistance to federal law enforcement. The White House has framed opposition as ideological obstruction, pointing to what it describes as coordinated efforts by progressive activists to interfere with ICE operations.

Yet the polling suggests the issue has moved beyond partisan lines. While a majority of Americans still support deporting undocumented immigrants convicted of serious crimes, they express discomfort with sweeping enforcement actions that appear indiscriminate. The distinction matters politically. Compassion, even toward those in the country illegally, remains a potent force in public opinion.

The stakes extend beyond Minneapolis. With the 2026 midterm elections looming, Republicans fear that immigration — once a galvanizing issue — could become a liability if associated with perceived overreach. That fear helps explain why conservative media figures, normally quick to defend the administration, are urging restraint, accuracy, and a shift in tone.

Mr. Trump’s response has been characteristically combative. He has lashed out at unfavorable polls in the past, accusing Fox News of bias and questioning its credibility. But this time, the criticism has not subsided. Nor has the footage.

In the end, even Mr. Murdoch’s formidable media machinery may have limited influence over what voters believe when confronted with images that contradict official statements. As one analyst put it, “You can spin a policy. You can’t spin a video.”

For a president who has long relied on immigration as both a rallying cry and a political weapon, the Minneapolis fallout represents something new: a moment when the message no longer belongs to him — and when even his most loyal messengers are urging him to change course.

Whether Mr. Trump listens may determine not only the trajectory of his second term, but the future shape of the immigration debate itself.