Greg Bovino, a former commander at U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), has claimed that the Trump administration desired his death, stating that his security detail was removed after he was forced into retirement. Bovino, who led the Minneapolis Operation Metro Surge, made these allegations on Tucker Carlson's podcast.
Bovino, 56, suggested a schism within the agency was evidence of his claims. He told Carlson that if "gate guards want you gone, you better watch out. They’ll come for you." When asked if this had happened to him, Bovino responded, "absolutely."
He explained that his security detail was pulled the "minute I left" his position, occurring months after he was pushed into retirement following the deaths of two citizens. Bovino stated he was receiving "death threats" at the time and believes CBP Commissioner Rodney Scott was behind the decision to remove his security, saying, "I think to silence me."
Carlson questioned if Bovino meant "silence you like, get you killed?" to which Bovino answered, "Yes." He further asserted, "I’m in a running battle every time I go out." He attributed this to "crazies out there" who might act on the alleged wishes of Scott and former White House border czar Tom Homan.
"Do I think they want me killed? Absolutely," Bovino claimed, although he added, "I don’t think Trump would." He suggested the president would have a negative reaction if he knew what CBP and ICE were allegedly doing to "anyone that disagrees with them."
When Carlson asked if Homan wanted him dead, Bovino responded, "Yeah, absolutely. You bet." He identified Scott as the one who removed his security detail with Homan present.
A White House spokesperson dismissed Bovino's claims to the Daily Mail as "absurd." A White House official also stated that Homan does not weigh in on security matters for current or former DHS officials.