RNC Circulated Bovino’s Discredited Claims as Talking Points Before His Removal

The Republican National Committee distributed talking points Monday defending Border Patrol commander Greg Bovino’s controversial statements about the Alex Pretti shooting, just hours before he was removed from his position in Minneapolis—highlighting the party’s rapidly shifting messaging around the incident.

The memo, obtained by POLITICO, urged Republican surrogates to blame Democrats for “inciting protestors to attack and aggressively confront law enforcement in Minneapolis.” It repeated Bovino’s Saturday claim that Pretti “wanted to do maximum damage and massacre law enforcement,” despite mounting evidence contradicting the official narrative.

Specifically, the talking points asserted that “Agents attempted to disarm the individual as he violently resisted. Fearing for his life and the lives and safety of fellow officers, a Border Patrol agent fired defensive shots.” This account has been directly challenged by witness videos and analyses from major news outlets including The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal.

The dramatic reversal between the RNC promoting Bovino’s statements and his subsequent removal illustrates how the Trump administration and Republican officials are struggling to manage the fallout from the shooting. In a notable break with typical party unity, numerous GOP elected officials have called for an official investigation into the incident.

The administration’s narrative has evolved significantly since Saturday, when Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and other officials labeled Pretti, a 37-year-old nurse, a “domestic terrorist.” President Trump took a more measured approach in a Wall Street Journal interview that same day, declining to state whether the officer acted appropriately and noting his administration was “reviewing everything.”

During a Tuesday appearance at an Iowa restaurant, Trump distanced himself from the terrorism allegations, saying he hadn’t heard such assessments from administration officials like Noem and Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller. The president did comment that Pretti “certainly shouldn’t have been carrying a gun,” though Minnesota officials have confirmed Pretti possessed a legal permit to carry a firearm.

Conspicuously absent from Monday’s RNC memo was any reference to Secretary Noem’s statements following the shooting. While the White House has publicly maintained support for Noem, criticism from within Republican ranks has intensified. On Tuesday evening, Senator Thom Tillis (R-North Carolina) stated Noem should be “out of a job,” while Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) said she “should go.”

The administration appeared to acknowledge problems with the DHS leadership’s handling of the Minneapolis operation when Trump announced Monday morning that Border Czar Tom Homan would take over. By that afternoon, Bovino had been removed from his command position, according to reporting by The Atlantic.

When asked about the memo, RNC spokesperson Kiersten Pels would not confirm its authenticity but echoed its central message: “Democrats incited this violence by encouraging protesters to confront law enforcement. Democrats are demonizing ICE and threatening to defund DHS instead of condemning attacks on officers – while President Trump and Republicans stand with law enforcement and public safety.”

The Minneapolis shooting comes at a politically sensitive time, as Trump’s immigration approval ratings have declined significantly throughout his presidency. A recent Reuters/Ipsos poll shows just 39% of Americans approve of his handling of immigration issues. The high-profile deaths of both Pretti and Renée Good in Minneapolis earlier this month have brought increased scrutiny to the administration’s mass deportation objectives.

The controversy has spilled into Congressional funding battles, with Senate Democrats vowing to vote against Department of Homeland Security appropriations unless the bill includes new accountability measures for the agency. The RNC memo specifically addressed this looming standoff, claiming, “Democrats are threatening to defund law enforcement later this week by refusing to pass a DHS funding bill.”

The memo concluded with a stark partisan framing: “While Democrats will stand in the way of ICE and law enforcement to defend terrorists and criminal aliens, President Trump and Republicans are working to keep our communities safe.”