1:38In this June 10, 2025, file photo, Sen. Tina Smith addresses reporters following the weekly Democratic policy luncheon at the U.S. Capitol Building in Washington, DC. Kayla Bartkowski/Getty Images, FILE
A preliminary transcript of "This Week with George Stephanopoulos" airing on Sunday, January 11, 2026 on ABC News is provided below. This version may not be finalized, may undergo updates, and may include minor transcription inaccuracies. For past show transcripts, please refer to the "This Week" transcript archive.
MARTHA RADDATZ, ABC “THIS WEEK” CO-ANCHOR: Our gratitude to Whit Johnson.
I’m now joined by Senator Tina Smith from Minnesota.
Thank you for being with us during this challenging week, Senator.
SEN. TINA SMITH, (D) MINNESOTA: Thank you very much, Martha. It’s great to have the opportunity to speak with you.
RADDATZ: I just heard Mayor Frey (ph) state that what he observes in those videos is Renee Good attempting to leave and that the ICE officer was not struck by a vehicle. He asserted clearly that this did not occur. Do you concur?
SMITH: I do concur. I believe what we’re witnessing here is the federal government, Kristi Noem, Vice President Vance, and Donald Trump, trying to obscure the truth of what transpired here in the Twin Cities. I don’t think that individuals here or across the nation are accepting it.
I can tell you what is unfolding right now in my community, in the days following the tragic shooting of Renee Good. There is utter turmoil with ICE agents detaining American citizens, arresting them, and, as we have seen, shooting and killing them.
This deportation initiative by the Trump administration is undermining public safety here in the Twin Cities. It is perilous and must cease.
RADDATZ: You are suggesting that the administration is attempting to conceal this shooting. That’s a significant allegation. What do you mean by that?
SMITH: What I mean is that it is apparent that their actions are aimed at manipulating the narrative to portray what occurred without any proper investigation. Just hours after Renee Good was shot by federal agents, Kristi Noem was already detailing exactly what had happened. They labeled her a domestic terrorist before even knowing her name. It seems evident to me, especially since they are obstructing state investigators from engaging in any way with this inquiry, that they have predetermined their version of events. This is extremely dangerous, and I don’t believe people will accept it, especially after viewing these videos. It is remarkable, isn’t it, that the latest video they released to potentially vindicate this officer actually does the opposite? In it, this woman states, essentially, “Hey dude, I’m not angry with you,” and moments later, he shoots her three times in the face while she attempts to navigate around him.
RADDATZ: I want to discuss that recent video because there were clearly exchanges between the officers and Renee Good and her spouse, Rebecca. Do you have any insight or knowledge about what transpired prior to that, what led to those remarks, and does this alter your perspective at all? It appears it doesn’t.
SMITH: No, it doesn’t change my view because I approach this from my background, having collaborated extensively with law enforcement at both the Minneapolis city level and the state level. I comprehend how professional law enforcement is trained. They are instructed to deescalate situations, not to exacerbate them or escalate conflicts. They are definitely trained to move out of the path of an oncoming vehicle rather than to position themselves in front of one. No professional law enforcement would engage in verbal exchanges or banter with someone exercising their legal right to protest and then lose control, which appears to be what transpired here.
RADDATZ: Congresswoman Ilhan Omar, who represents Minneapolis, characterized Good as a legal observer of ICE. What does that involve? What insights do you have about that? Clearly, the administration presents a different narrative.
SMITH: Well, what I know is happening in this community is that individuals who are not the focus of this ICE operation are attending training sessions as volunteers. The aim is to learn what they are legally permitted to do in order to monitor what’s taking place on the streets and to document events, which is completely lawful, thereby assisting Americans in recording this extensive deportation initiative.
That’s my understanding of what was occurring here on Wednesday.
Sourse: abcnews.go.com