Bovino hurls accusations at CNN's Jake Tapper — and gets bruising reply
Customs and Border Patrol commander Greg Bovino took a shot at CNN anchor Jake Tapper Monday — and got shot down by facts from the journalist.
Tapper had pointed out how Bovino's credibility has come under question in the past as Bovino tried to make a series of claims after ICE agents killed 37-year-old ICU nurse Alex Pretti in Minneapolis this weekend.
Tapper wrote in a post on X Sunday that the border commander had been caught spreading falsehoods in an earlier court case. "'Bovino admitted in his deposition that he lied multiple times,' wrote the judge," Tapper posted.
Bovino snapped back at Tapper.
"Then identify the lie, Jake. No one can seem to find this mysterious 'lie,'" Bovino wrote in response.
Unfortunately for Bovino, Tapper had the receipts.
Tapper gave it back to Bovino in a long thread on X, pointing to the words from U.S. District Court Judge Sara Ellis, who ordered a preliminary injunction in November that granted "complete relief" to Chicago residents and others who accused the Department of Homeland Security of using "extreme brutality" to violate their First Amendment rights.
"Happy to help, sir," Tapper wrote. "From Judge Ellis: 'Bovino admitted in his deposition that he lied multiple times about the events that occurred in Little Village that prompted him to throw tear gas at protesters.
"'Bovino and DHS have represented that a rock hit Bovino in the helmet before he threw tear gas. ...On the first day,' of his deposition 'Bovino admitted that he was not hit with a rock until after he had deployed tear gas...'"
And Tapper didn't hold back. In 13 posts he revealed the number of moves Judge Ellis accused Bovino of making.
"2/ 'Bovino then offered a new justification for his use of chemical munitions, testifying that he only threw tear gas after he 'had received a projectile, a rock,' which 'almost hit' him... 'Despite being presented with video evidence that did not show a rock thrown at him before he launched the first tear gas canister, Bovino nonetheless maintained his testimony throughout the first and second days of his deposition,..." Tapper wrote.
At the end of the lengthy thread, Tapper shared the court document and a snappy final response to Bovino — who had no response.
"This is from a November 20, 2025, 233-page opinion from Judge Sara Ellis. https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.ilnd.487571/gov.uscourts.ilnd.487571.281.0_8.pdf Let me know if I can help with anything else," Tapper said.