Border Patrol Chief Defends Darth Vader Comparison

U.S. Border Patrol Chief Gregory K. Bovino defended his agency’s use of “Star Wars” villain imagery after sharing a controversial video depicting Border Patrol as Darth Vader for May 4th celebrations. The clip, which showed a lightsaber-wielding Vader battling labeled “threats” including human smugglers, sanctuary cities, and “fake news,” drew criticism for its apparent embrace of the franchise’s antagonist.

When questioned about the video’s alignment with the galactic Empire—the authoritarian regime opposed by heroes in the “Star Wars” narrative—Bovino doubled down on the comparison. “I think ole Darth had the ultimate situational awareness against threats to the homeland. So do we which is why our border is the most controlled now than ever before,” the Border Patrol chief wrote on social media platform X, defending the artistic choice.

Border Patrol Video Explicitly References Empire

The video shared by Bovino on May 4th features “Star Wars”-style opening crawl text that describes Border Patrol as pursuing threats to “the galaxy’s most notorious sanctuary for lawlessness… Mos Eisley… AKA California.” The footage then shows a Darth Vader figure wielding a red lightsaber to attack labeled threats including fentanyl, human smugglers, and sanctuary cities.

When social media users pointed out that Darth Vader represents the villain in the “Star Wars” franchise, Bovino appeared unmoved by the criticism. “We’ve depicted who the bad guys were in this video. Watch again as they are labeled as such. 😆 🤣. 🇺🇸 🇺🇲,” he responded, according to Rolling Stone.

The Border Patrol chief’s insistence on embracing the Empire’s imagery despite its negative portrayal in the movies struck many observers as an unusual communications strategy for a federal agency. One X user responded to Bovino’s video by sharing a meme asking “Are we the baddies?”—a reference to a comedy sketch about soldiers realizing they might be on the wrong side of a conflict.

White House Also Shares Contradictory Imagery

The Border Patrol video emerged amid broader “Star Wars” Day controversy involving official White House accounts. The White House X account shared an AI-generated image depicting President Donald Trump with exaggerated muscles, Jedi-style robes, and a red lightsaber—the signature weapon of Sith Lords, the villains of the “Star Wars” universe.

“Happy May the 4th to all, including the Radical Left Lunatics who are fighting so hard to bring Sith Lords, Murderers, Drug Lords, Dangerous Prisoners, & well known MS-13 Gang Members, back into our Galaxy,” read the White House post. “You’re not the Rebellion—you’re the Empire. May the 4th be with you.”

This message created its own contradiction by criticizing opponents as “Sith Lords” while simultaneously portraying the president with the signature weapon of the Sith. As The Wrap noted: “Though it could be inferred from that caption that the White House intended to present Trump as Jedi, the image notably shows him holding a red lightsaber — a hallmark of the Sith, stewards of the Dark Side.”

California Cast as Lawless Spaceport

The Border Patrol video’s specific characterization of California as “Mos Eisley”—described as “the galaxy’s most notorious sanctuary for lawlessness”—has drawn particular criticism for its disparagement of an entire state. In the “Star Wars” universe, Mos Eisley is a spaceport described by Obi-Wan Kenobi as a “wretched hive of scum and villainy.”

Media commentators have noted the unusual nature of a federal agency characterizing one of the nation’s most populous states in such negative terms. The comparison appears to reference California’s sanctuary state policies, which limit cooperation between local law enforcement and federal immigration authorities.

The video’s political messaging aligns with broader administration criticisms of immigration policies in Democratic-led states and cities. This political framing of “Star Wars” Day content by government agencies represents a departure from previous years, when May 4th messaging typically focused on nonpartisan morale-building or recruitment themes.

“Star Wars” Creator’s Vision Contradicted

The Border Patrol and White House embrace of Empire and Sith imagery contradicts the clear moral framing established by “Star Wars” creator George Lucas. Throughout the franchise’s development, Lucas has explicitly described the Rebellion as representing American revolutionaries and democracy, while the Empire was intended to evoke fascist regimes and authoritarianism.

Film scholars and critics have long noted that the original “Star Wars” trilogy contained numerous parallels to the Vietnam War, with the technologically superior Empire representing aspects of American military power and the guerrilla Rebellion fighters representing the Viet Cong. This context makes the current administration’s embrace of Empire imagery particularly notable to media observers.

A.V. Club characterized the messaging as “blatant and willful misinterpretations of George Lucas’ fantasy universe,” suggesting the contradictory symbolism reflects a fundamental misunderstanding of the franchise’s themes rather than a deliberate inversion of its values.

Pattern of Controversial Government Communications

The “Star Wars” Day controversy represents the latest in a series of provocative social media posts from administration accounts that have generated debate about appropriate tone for official government communications. Just two days earlier, the White House had drawn criticism for sharing an AI-generated image of Trump dressed as the pope shortly after Pope Francis’s death.

Media analysts have noted an increasing shift toward meme-heavy, confrontational messaging from official White House accounts under the current administration. Axios described the trend as “a jarring departure from traditional White House communications,” noting the contrast with previous administrations’ more formal approach to government messaging.

While supporters have praised the administration’s aggressive, pop culture-infused communication style as relatably authentic, critics have questioned whether such partisan and provocative content is appropriate coming from official government channels rather than campaign accounts.