The Assistant Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Tricia McLaughlin, refuted claims that Gregory Bovino was dismissed from his position as the Border Patrol Chief and the operational leader for Customs and Border Protection (CBP).
“Chief Gregory Bovino has NOT been relieved of his duties,” McLaughlin wrote in a post on X. “As @PressSec stated from the White House podium, @CMDROpAtLargeCA is a key part of the President’s team and a great American.”
This statement followed several reports suggesting that Bovino had been removed from his duties shortly after a shooting incident involving a Border Patrol agent resulted in the death of 37-year-old Alex Pretti.
McLaughlin did not clarify whether Bovino would continue to manage operations in Minnesota, where tensions have escalated in Minneapolis following the deaths of two locals at the hands of federal agents during riots instigated by far-left groups.
McLaughlin did not say if Bovino would remain in Minnesota to oversee the high-visibility operation in Minneapolis, where two locals have been killed by federal agents amid provocative riots by far-left radicals.
In a social media post, Sortor claimed, “MAJOR BREAKING: Gregory Bovino has now been RELIEVED OF DUTY as Commander at Large of the U.S. Border Patrol, I’ve exclusively learned.”
According to a DHS official and two individuals familiar with the situation, as reported by the Atlantic, Bovino is expected to return to his previous role in El Centro, California.
On Truth Social, former President Donald Trump shared that he had a conversation with Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, noting that they appeared to agree on various points.
Gregory Bovino has been removed from his role as Border Patrol “commander at large” and will return to his former job in El Centro, California, where he is expected to retire soon, according to a DHS official and two people with knowledge of the change.
Bovino’s sudden demotion is the clearest sign yet that the Trump administration is reconsidering its most aggressive tactics after the killing Saturday of 37-year-old Alex Pretti by Border Patrol agents under Bovino’s command.
In a post on Truth Social, President Donald Trump revealed that he had spoken to Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D) and that they “seemed to be on a similar wavelength.”
“Governor Tim Walz called me with the request to work together with respect to Minnesota,” Trump said. “It was a very good call, and we, actually, seemed to be on a similar wavelength. I told Governor Walz that I would have Tom Homan call him, and that what we are looking for are any and all Criminals that they have in their possession.”
