U.S. Vice President JD Vance is facing mounting backlash after his recent White House press briefing, where he forcefully defended the ICE agent who shot and killed Renee Nicole Good, a 37-year-old mother of three. Ahead of this, Vance took to X and accused people of “gaslighting” by defending the victim who was allegedly violent towards the officials before the shooting.
JD Vance says the ICE agent acted in self-defence
During a White House press briefing on Thursday, January 8, 2026, Vance raised his voice in defence of the ICE agent, later identified as Jonathan Ross, insisting that his actions were justified and claiming that Good was “part of a broader left-wing network to attack, to dox, to assault and to make it impossible for our ICE officers to do their job.” He further accused Good of trying to ram her vehicle to the officer when he acted in defence. Vance declared:
“He shot back; he defended himself. Everybody who has been repeating the lie that this was some innocent woman who was out for a drive in Minneapolis when a law enforcement officer shot at her, you should be ashamed of yourselves, every single one of you.”
The Vice President went on to criticise citizens, public figures, and media outlets that questioned the government’s accountability and painting the victim as “some innocent woman” rather than realising that she was a radical activist. He argued:
“Nobody wants to see an American killed… I can believe that her death is a tragedy while also recognizing that it’s a tragedy of her own making, and a tragedy of the far-left who has marshaled an entire movement, a lunatic fringe against our law enforcement officers.”
Renee Good’s family rejects domestic terrorism claims
While the Trump administration accused Good of “domestic terrorism”, the victim’s family has strongly refuted to this claim. Her mother, Donna Ganger, told The Minnesota Star Tribune that she was a kind and “extremely compassionate” woman who “was probably terrified” during her confrontation, and was nowhere associated with radical activities.
Renee’s ex-husband told The Associated Press that she had just dropped off their 6-year-old son at school and was returning home with her current partner when they encountered ICE agents. The Mayor of Minneapolis, Jacob Frey, has also demanded that the agents, be withdrawn from the city.
Who was the officer who shot Renee Nicole Good?
Amid nationwide outrage, the ICE agent was later identified as Jonathan Ross, who shot and killed 37-year-old Renee during a targeted operation. Ross has been a part of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for over a decade, working in its Enforcement and Removal Operations. He is also a member of the elite Special Response Team. The federal authorities described him as an ‘expert marksman’ who served his country for his entire life, highlighting his extensive training and experience in high-risk operations.
Who was Renee Nicole Good?
Renee Nicole Good was a 37-year-old Minneapolis resident, originally from Colorado Springs, Colorado. The mother of three was a poet and writer who even won an Academy of American Poets prize for her work. According to her mother, Donna’s account, Renee had been living in the Twin Cities with her partner/wife for the past year.
With JD Vance’s fiery words, the debate surrounding Renee’s fatal shooting has intensified as the investigation unfolds.
Read Next: Who Is Jonathan Ross? All About The ICE Agent Who Fatally Shot Renee Nicole Good In Minneapolis
