The White House has firmly denied reports after The Atlantic reported that Gregory Bovino had been removed from his position as the ‘commander at large’ of the US Border Patrol and would return to his earlier post in El Centro, California. According to a Homeland Security official and two people familiar with the decision, Bovino is expected to retire soon.
White House denies reports about Greg Bovino being removed
Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin responded on X, saying clearly that Bovino is still in his role. “Chief Gregory Bovino has NOT been relieved of his duties,” she wrote. McLaughlin also quoted White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, who said from the podium that Bovino remains “a key part of the President’s team and a great American.”
The conflicting reports came at a tense moment. President Donald Trump had just sent border czar Tom Homan to Minnesota to oversee US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations there. Because Bovino has been closely linked to the Trump administration’s aggressive immigration enforcement drive in major US cities, any suggestion of his removal immediately drew attention. That attention only intensified following public outrage over the fatal shooting of 37-year-old ICU nurse Alex Pretti by Border Patrol agents on Saturday.
Move comes after deadly incident in Minneapolis
Earlier, report suggested that Bovino’s removal follows growing criticism of the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement tactics, especially after the killing of Alex Pretti. Pretti was shot and killed on Saturday by Border Patrol agents who were operating under Bovino’s command.
According to the Atlantic, earlier on Monday, President Donald Trump and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz spoke privately on phone and appeared to strike a more conciliatory tone afterward. The call suggested both sides were looking for a way to defuse their standoff over a federal deportation drive in Minnesota. The crackdown has already resulted in the deaths of two US citizens in Minneapolis.
In a series of social media posts, Trump hinted at a change in tactics. He said he had spoken with Walz, whom the White House had earlier accused of encouraging violence, and said the two leaders were now on “a similar wavelength.” Trump also announced that Tom Homan, the former head of ICE and now the administration’s “border czar,” would travel to Minnesota to take charge of the federal response there.
Top DHS officials could also be at risk
According to two people familiar with internal discussions, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and her close adviser Corey Lewandowski may also be at risk of losing their positions. Both Noem and Lewandowski were strong supporters of Bovino and had backed his role within the department.
For the past seven months, Bovino had been the most popular figure in a travelling immigration enforcement campaign targeting cities run by Democratic leaders. He was given the “commander” title by Noem and other Trump officials and was sent across the country with masked Border Patrol agents to cities including Chicago, Charlotte, New Orleans, and later Minneapolis.
During these operations, Bovino emerged as a MAGA-aligned social media figure. He was often seen travelling with his own film crew and frequently used social platforms to attack Democratic politicians and critics. According to the reports, Bovino’s action made senior officials within ICE and Customs and Border Protection became increasingly uncomfortable. Veteran officers were concerned that he was operating outside the normal chain of command and appeared to enjoy playing a political role rather than a traditional law enforcement one.