Dem
47
GOP
53
High-profile members of the Trump administration are dropping like flies these days. Yesterday, it was U.S. Border Patrol Chief Michael Banks, who announced that he would be leaving his post, effective immediately.
In his statement to the press, Banks explained his alleged reasons for quitting: "After almost 37 years of public service now is my time to enjoy family and life." That doesn't especially pass the smell test, since he knew full well that this was an "until Jan. 20, 2029" commitment, and since he vamoosed so suddenly. A lot of media, observing that acting Immigration and Customs Enforcement Director Todd Lyons left HIS post just a few weeks ago, are framing Banks' exit as part of new DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin doing some spring cleaning.
That may be part of it, but it omits a rather key part of the story. Banks' problem is not that he was not enjoying his life, it's that he was enjoying it too much. Last week, The Washington Examiner had a piece about Banks'—uh, hobby?—which is apparently sex tourism. He's visited a number of foreign countries, engaged the services of prostitutes, and then bragged about it to colleagues.
Banks' sleazy behavior has long been whispered about, but the Examiner was able to get direct confirmation from some of the folks who were subject to their colleague's bragging. Since one of the tasks of the department that Banks led until yesterday was combating sex trafficking, it's kind of a problem that he himself has done business with sex traffickers. Also problematic was that one of the countries he "toured" was Thailand. The Examiner did not get into specifics, but commonly when people travel to Thailand as sex tourists, it is either to have relations with trans women/girls (aka ladyboys), something that does not play well with the MAGA base, or to have sex with underage girls, something that does not play well with anyone.
Given the haste with which Banks quit, we tend to suspect that something very unpleasant was about to be published, and by an outlet with more reach and more gravitas than The Washington Examiner. Either way, there isn't room in this administration for two sex predators with an apparent interest in underaged victims, so Banks had to go. It's another reminder (the rapid excommunication of then-Rep. Tony Gonzales is another) that the White House and the GOP are desperate to keep sexual misconduct out of the 2026 elections. Time will tell if they are successful. (Z)