Breaking — Bovino Demoted and Expelled from Minnesota
The man who called Pretti's killers "the real victims" just lost his job. But don't celebrate yet—the operation continues.
While others stenograph, grift, or chase the next distraction—this is the news that matters and how it’s connected.
Gregory Bovino is out.
The Border Patrol “commander at large” who called Alex Pretti a domestic terrorist—who claimed Pretti wanted to “massacre law enforcement”—who said the agents who shot a subdued man ten times were “the real victims”—has been removed from his position and ordered back to his former job in El Centro, California.1 He’s expected to retire soon.¹
The liar lost his job. That’s accountability—forced by pressure, not conscience.
But before you celebrate: this is a pawn sacrifice, not a retreat.
The Scapegoat
Bovino didn’t lose his job because the regime had a change of heart. He lost it because he became a liability.
For seven months, Bovino was the public face of Trump’s traveling immigration crackdown—Chicago, Charlotte, New Orleans, then Minneapolis.¹ He traveled with his own film crew. He became a MAGA social-media star, using his platform to attack Democratic politicians and random critics online.¹
Even veteran ICE and CBP officials grew uneasy. According to The Atlantic, Bovino “worked outside his agency’s chain of command and appeared to relish his role as a political actor.”¹
Then his agents killed Alex Pretti. And Bovino went on television and lied about it.
The video showed a passive man holding a phone. Bovino called him an assassin. The video showed agents disarm Pretti before shooting him. Bovino called those agents victims.
When the lie became undeniable, the regime sacrificed the liar.
The Replacement
Tom Homan is taking over.¹
Don’t be fooled into thinking this is an improvement. Bovino was a loud propagandist who became a PR disaster. Homan is a professional—Trump’s former ICE chief, now his “border czar.” He’s competent, experienced, and reports directly to the president.
Bovino was a liability because he couldn’t stop performing. Homan is dangerous because he knows how to execute quietly.
The Dominoes
Bovino isn’t the only one scrambling. According to The Atlantic, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem and her close adviser Corey Lewandowski—Bovino’s biggest backers—are also at risk of losing their jobs.¹
The White House is already distancing itself. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stressed that Trump himself never used words like “assassin” or “domestic terrorist” to describe Pretti.² Translation: the regime is pretending those lies came from rogue subordinates, not from the top.
The rats are turning on each other.
What Hasn’t Changed
What hasn’t changed? Everything that matters.
The agents who shot Alex Pretti haven’t been charged. The occupation continues. A federal judge is still weighing whether to declare the entire operation illegal—but hasn’t ruled yet.2
Stephen Miller? The deputy chief of staff who called Pretti a “domestic terrorist” and “would-be assassin”—the same words Leavitt now claims Trump never used? He’s untouched. Noem and Lewandowski may be next on the chopping block, but the architect of the ethnic cleansing campaign isn’t going anywhere.
And Attorney General Pam Bondi’s ransom note is still on the table. That letter—sent to Governor Walz—demanded Minnesota hand over voter rolls and welfare data in exchange for de-escalation. That’s not negotiation. That’s extortion. The letter didn’t disappear when Bovino did.
This was never just about immigration. It’s about coercing state governments. Punishing Democratic cities. Building the infrastructure for whatever comes next.
Bovino was a piece on the board. The game continues.
The Lesson
Pressure works. Two days ago, Bovino was untouchable—a MAGA celebrity with federal agents at his command. Today he’s being shipped back to California to retire in disgrace.
But pressure only works if you keep applying it.
The regime sacrificed Bovino to buy time and save face. They’re hoping you’ll see his departure as victory and go home. Don’t. The man who lied is gone. The lie lives on. The operation continues. The people who enabled Bovino—Noem, Lewandowski, the agents who pulled the trigger—are still in place.
One pawn down. The board is still set.
Keep pushing.
The Call
This isn’t an isolated incident. We track stories like this using the fascism syndrome—ten indicators that a democracy is sliding into fascism—so you don’t lose the thread in the daily chaos:
Identity-based scapegoating: Bovino’s entire role was to create spectacle around targeting “sanctuary cities”—turning immigrants into threats and Democratic mayors into enemies of the state.
War on reality: When the video proved Bovino a liar, the regime didn’t admit the truth. They sacrificed him to protect the lie.
Capture of the state and elimination of accountability: Bovino operated outside his agency’s chain of command as a “political actor.” That’s not law enforcement. That’s a paramilitary operation with no oversight.
Aggression as virtue: The Bondi letter—demanding voter rolls in exchange for de-escalation—is still active. Extortion as diplomacy. Coercion as policy.
Fire the liar. Keep the lie. That's not reform. That's fascism.
But we’re not here just to tell you the house is on fire.
We built this publication to equip you with the tools to fight back—the frameworks, the messaging, the strategies that actually work. See the links below. But we can only keep doing this with your help. If this matters to you, please consider becoming a paid subscriber. You keep the fight alive.
Fighting Fascism: How We Push Back and Win — The strategic playbook for reclaiming power
The Trump Regime Messaging Guide — How to talk to people who’ve been captured by the machine
The Freedom Illusion — How we got here, and the counter-ideology that gets us out
Nick Miroff, “Greg Bovino Loses His Job“, The Atlantic, January 26, 2026.
Reports Bovino’s removal from his role as Border Patrol “commander at large” and his expected return to El Centro, California to retire. Documents that Noem and Lewandowski are also at risk. Describes Bovino’s seven-month tenure as the public face of the traveling immigration crackdown, his MAGA social-media celebrity status, and veteran officials’ unease with his operating outside the chain of command as a “political actor.”
AP News (Bridget Brown, Bernard McGhee, et al.), “Live updates: Border Patrol commander Greg Bovino and some agents expected to leave Minneapolis“, AP News, January 26, 2026.
Live coverage documenting that Bovino and some agents are expected to leave Minneapolis as early as Tuesday. Notes the White House distancing from “assassin” and “domestic terrorist” language, with Leavitt stressing Trump himself hadn’t used such words. Reports Mayor Frey’s call with Trump, in which Trump agreed “the present situation cannot continue.”
Absolutely correct Once a liar always a liar Cannot trust anything this Nazi regime says
Cheeto’s Lying Is Part Of The Bigger Picture
Even if Cheeto’s tongue was notarized he would still be lying….that’s just the way this sadistic malignant narcissist operates His alternative reality, the way he sees the world, is meant to deceive and gaslight everyone he comes into contact with….political allies, adversaries, the American people WE remember that COVID would go away by summer, WE remember that inflation would go away on Day One, WE remember that he had nothing to do with Jeffrey Epstein
But as Lincoln once said “you can fool some of the people some of the time, but you can’t fool all the people all the time” WE the People have heard enough In Marc Elias’ column(https://bit.ly/3ZzvHEu) he brilliantly but succinctly discusses the association between lies and violence but takes it one step further He associates both lies and violence to an authoritarian means to subvert and destroy free and fair elections THIS is the end game….to destroy democracy by doing what he claims that “elections are rigged”
Well, that’s true because he’s the one doing the rigging
Maybe we cant celebrate, but we can say: HA! We got a Nazi!