Greg Bovino, the Border Patrol’s top Minnesota commander, was removed on Jan. 26 after replying to a fabricated QAnon-linked social post that claimed Ted Nugent pledged $100,000 to feed ICE agents. The original story came from a satirical Facebook page and was later reposted by a QAnon account. Bovino’s demotion and social-media suspension followed controversial posts in which he defended the killing of Alex Pretti — video evidence of which contradicts official accounts — and came amid broader criticism of Border Patrol actions in Minnesota.
Border Patrol Commander Removed After Boosting QAnon Satire About Ted Nugent
Stephen Maturen / Getty Images(Stephen Maturen)
A senior Border Patrol official was removed from his post after engaging with a fabricated social media story amplified by QAnon-linked accounts.
Bovino boosted a fake news story posted by a QAnon account the day before he was demoted. / KAMIL KRZACZYNSKI / AFP via Getty Images
What Happened
Greg Bovino, 55, the Border Patrol’s so-called "commander-at-large" in Minnesota, replied "Good job, Ted" on Jan. 25 to a post on X that claimed rocker Ted Nugent had pledged $100,000 to feed ICE agents in the state. The post originated on the Facebook satire page "America’s Last Line Of Defense," which explicitly watermarks its content with "Nothing On This Page Is Real." The story — including a fabricated quote from Nugent about flying in a "metric ton of barbecue" — was later reposted on X by the account "QTheStorm," known for circulating QAnon material.
Satire page 'America's Last Line of Defense' labels its posts as satire with a watermark. / christopher blair / Facebook / America's Last Line of Defense
Consequences
One day later, Jan. 26, Bovino was removed from his Minnesota post and replaced by Border Czar Tom Homan. The Department of Homeland Security also suspended Bovino’s access to his social media accounts as part of the personnel change. Officials said the move was intended in part to "de-escalate" mounting tensions in the state.
Bovino did not recognize that the story about Ted Nugent sending $100,000 worth of barbecue to Minnesota ICE agents was satire. / X / Greg Bovino
Context: Controversy Over Fatal Encounters
The action followed a series of controversial posts by Bovino defending the killing of 37-year-old ICU nurse Alex Pretti, who was shot and killed by Border Patrol officers the day before. Administration officials had characterized Pretti as a "domestic terrorist" who posed a grave threat to law enforcement; however, multiple videos of the confrontation show Pretti was legally carrying a firearm and never reached for it before officers tackled and fatally shot him. The gap between those video accounts and the official narrative intensified public backlash against ICE and Border Patrol operations in Minnesota.
Bovino called slain ICU nurse Alex Pretti a
President Trump later told supporters he regularly makes leadership changes, comparing the practice to farm owners who "shake up your team if they can’t do the crops fast enough," and described Bovino as "an out there guy" who "maybe wasn’t good" in Minnesota.
Broader Allegations During Bovino’s Tenure
Reporting indicates that federal immigration operations in Minnesota under Bovino drew criticism for aggressive tactics, including incidents in which agents detained young children, removed U.S. citizens from homes while they were in their underwear, and used tear gas against protesters. Within roughly three weeks, operations in the state were linked to the deaths of Alex Pretti and 37-year-old mother Renee Good — events that prompted intense scrutiny and calls for accountability.
Pretti was killed less than three weeks after an immigration officer shot and killed Renee Good. / ROBERTO SCHMIDT / AFP via Getty Images
Note: The post Bovino shared was sourced to a satire page and was later amplified by a QAnon-linked account; there is no verified evidence that Ted Nugent made the quoted comments or pledged funds.
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