How do you solve a problem like Minneapolis?

Well, if you’re smart, you will never have created the problem by sending in your goon squad in the first place. But, since it’s obviously too late for shoulda-woulda-coulda in this case, what you do in order to squirm out of a tight spot is what you always do when you’ve screwed up: find a fall-guy (or several) to take the blame for you.

And it seems that the first person to be thrown under the bus in this case is Border Patrol Commander Gregory Bovino.

Not that he doesn’t deserve it. Of course, he’ll tell you he was “just following orders” (where have we heard that before?). But in the wake of two fatal shootings of U.S. citizens — one trying to leave the scene and the other attempting to help a woman who had been knocked down by ICE agents — even Bovino had to realize that things were out of control.

And so on Monday — when it was clear that the public and the federal courts weren’t buying the administration’s lies, and the problem wasn’t going to go away of its own accord — Trump did one of his whiplash-worthy U-turns: he recalled Bovino from Minneapolis, sent in his Border “Czar” Tom Homan, said he would withdraw some of the troops from the city, and had a “very good call” with Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, thereafter posting on social media:

“Governor Tim Walz called me with the request to work together with respect to Minnesota. It was a very good call, and we, actually, seemed to be on a similar wavelength. I told Governor Walz that I would have Tom Homan call him, and that what we are looking for are any and all Criminals that they have in their possession. The Governor, very respectfully, understood that, and I will be speaking to him in the near future.” [Julia Manchester, The Hill, January 26, 2026.]

I’d be willing to bet that the Governor’s “request” was more of a demand that Trump get his hit squad out of Walz’s state, whereas Trump will gaslight it as a victory — perhaps even the ninth “war” he’s managed to settle in his second term. But whatever works to end the madness . . .

Then word came out yesterday evening that Gregory Bovino had not only been pulled out of Minnesota; he has been removed from his role as Border Patrol “commander at large,” and will be returning to his former job in California — where, according to a DHS official and “two people with knowledge” of the matter, he is expected to retire soon. [Nick Miroff, The Atlantic, January 26, 2026.]

Score one under the bus.

By the way, did Trump offer to bring back Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti? Oh, that’s right . . . he can’t. They’re still dead.

*. *. *

So now it’s damage control time, wherein someone is sacrificed on the Altar of Trump. If I had been allowed to make the choice, I know who it would have been: the ICE Queen herself.

Although, if some Democrats in Congress have their way, she may already be on her way out the door. One can only hope.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
1/27/26