Bovino Says DHS Wants Him Dead. The White House Says That’s ‘Absurd.’

It’s the latest instance of the administration attempting to distance itself from the former Border Patrol chief.

Bovino Chicago

Gregory Bovino, the former “commander-at-large” of the Border Patrol, says the administration wishes he was dead. (Erin Hooley/AP)

Former senior Border Patrol official Gregory Bovino said the Trump administration “absolutely” wants him killed after taking away his security detail earlier this year, a claim the White House called “absurd.”

“Do I think they want me dead at this point? Yes.” Bovino told conservative media personality and podcaster Tucker Carlson. “I’m in a running battle every time I go out. … There’s some crazies out there.”

Since Bovino announced his retirement in March — which may not have been entirely voluntary, according to Bovino’s exit interview with The New York Times — the former top immigration official has openly criticized high-profile members of the Trump administration including White House border czar Tom Homan.