Gregory Bovino, the Border Patrol commander who became a prominent figure in President Donald Trump's hardline immigration push, has been removed from his position and reassigned to California.
Bovino will now go back to his previous post in El Centro, California, and is likely to retire in the near future, The Atlantic reported on Monday, citing a Homeland Security official and two sources familiar with the move. Homeland Security sources also confirmed to the Daily Mail that, on orders from Border Patrol Commissioner Rodney Scott, Bovino's official government social media accounts were also taken away. The president reportedly took the surprising decision at the request of Border Czar Tom Homan.
No More Chances
The backlash came after Bovino spent the weekend publicly defending the deadly shooting of 37-year-old ICU nurse Alex Pretti on a street in Minneapolis. He repeatedly tweeted phrases like "don't assault federal officers" in replies to random users on X who posted personal details that portrayed Pretti in a positive light.
When one user argued that Pretti "never at any time produced a gun," Bovino insisted the "SUSPECT confronted and assaulted officers and was armed while doing so."
He also clashed with lawmakers, including Republican Thomas Massie, who argued that "carrying a firearm is not a death sentence" and is a constitutional right, adding that anyone who doesn't understand that "has no business in law enforcement or government."
Bovino responded to the Kentucky congressman by saying, "Attacking law enforcement is not a right like you want it to be."
The commander likewise fired back at Republican Senator Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, Texas Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico, and author Stephen King—each of whom had called for independent inquiries into the shooting.
After posting more than 40 replies on X over reactions to the Pretti shooting on Saturday and Sunday, Bovino hasn't posted anything for the last 11 hours.
DHS assistant press secretary Tricia McLaughlin said that he has not been fired and still "remains a key part of the president's team," despite the controversy surrounding his comments and actions.
Digging His Own Grave
The shift is part of a broader shake-up ordered by the Trump administration at the request of Border Czar Tom Homan. Bovino — who critics have nicknamed "little Napoleon" — has been pushed to the sidelines along with Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, as Homan prepares to head to Minneapolis himself.
Before rising in prominence during Trump's second term, Bovino served as chief patrol agent for the Border Patrol's El Centro sector in southern California.
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey confirmed that Trump has arranged a meeting between the two once Homan arrives in the city.
Officials say the move is intended to ease tensions after violent clashes erupted Saturday between federal agents and protesters following the killing of Pretti.
Bovino, a polarizing figure closely aligned with Noem and long seen as the public face of Trump's immigration crackdown, reportedly angered White House officials after claiming Pretti planned to "massacre" federal agents — remarks that intensified backlash and calls for de-escalation.
