Key Takeaways
- President Donald Trump has vetoed a bill that would have provided funding to complete a pipeline to carry clean water to communities in southeastern Colorado.
- Trump has also denied disaster funding to help northwestern Colorado recover from wildfires and southwestern Colorado recover from flooding.
- The decisions come as Trump intensifies his war against Colorado over the state’s refusal to release Tina Peters from prison.
- Colorado Republicans, including Reps. Lauren Boebert and Jeff Hurd, are speaking out against the president’s latest moves.
- The affected counties in southeastern Colorado voted overwhelmingly for Trump in 2024.
Introduction to the Conflict
The relationship between President Donald Trump and the state of Colorado has taken a turn for the worse. Trump has recently vetoed a bill that would have provided funding to complete a pipeline to carry clean water to communities in southeastern Colorado. Additionally, he has denied disaster funding to help northwestern Colorado recover from wildfires and southwestern Colorado recover from flooding. These decisions come as Trump intensifies his war against Colorado over the state’s refusal to release Tina Peters from prison. Peters, the former clerk in Mesa County, is serving a nine-year state prison sentence for orchestrating a breach of her county’s election system as part of a failed attempt to uncover voter fraud.
Trump’s Veto of the Arkansas Valley Conduit Act
The Arkansas Valley Conduit Act, which passed Congress unanimously last year, aimed to shift more of the cost of completing the Arkansas Valley Conduit onto the federal government and away from the communities in southeastern Colorado. The conduit, first approved in 1962 by President John F. Kennedy, is a 130-mile pipeline that is supposed to span Lake Pueblo to the Lamar area and carry clean water for municipal and industrial uses. However, Trump vetoed the bill, complaining about shifting the cost burden onto the federal taxpayer. This decision has been met with criticism from Colorado Republicans, including Rep. Lauren Boebert, who sponsored the bill. Boebert has urged Congress to override the veto, stating that "nothing says ‘America First’ like denying clean drinking water to 50,000 people in southeast Colorado, many of whom enthusiastically voted for him in all three elections."
Denial of Disaster Funding
Earlier in December, Trump denied disaster funding requested in response to the Elk and Lee fires, which damaged crucial electric lines in Rio Blanco County, and in response to record-breaking flooding in La Plata, Archuleta, and Mineral counties, which damaged or destroyed drinking water and wastewater infrastructure. The White House cited fiscal responsibility in denying Colorado’s disaster claims, claiming that politics didn’t play a role in the decision. However, Rep. Jeff Hurd rejects this argument, stating that "western Colorado has long supported the president, and that support comes from communities now facing the real human and economic consequences of recent disasters."
Colorado Republicans’ Response
Colorado Republicans, including Reps. Boebert and Hurd, are speaking out against the president’s latest moves. Boebert has been a traditional ally of Trump, but has recently split with him on several issues, including the release of files related to Jeffrey Epstein. In a written statement, Boebert said that "Americans deserve leadership that puts people over politics." Hurd, whose district includes areas that would have benefited from the Finish the Arkansas Valley Conduit Act, stated that "the vetoed legislation did not authorize new construction spending or expand the federal government’s original commitment. It adjusted repayment terms to reflect decades of federal delay, rising construction costs, and changing regulatory requirements — factors largely outside local control — so existing federal investments could actually result in completed infrastructure and clean drinking water."
Trump’s War Against Colorado
The decisions come as Trump intensifies his war against Colorado over the state’s refusal to release Tina Peters from prison. Peters, the former clerk in Mesa County, is serving a nine-year state prison sentence for orchestrating a breach of her county’s election system as part of a failed attempt to uncover voter fraud. Trump has vowed to punish Colorado as long as Peters remains in prison, and he appears to be making good on that promise. On social media, Trump called Gov. Jared Polis a "scumbag" and called the Republican prosecutor who brought the case against Peters "disgusting." Trump pardoned Peters, but since she was convicted on state charges, that had no effect. Polis has also so far refused to honor the Trump administration’s request that Peters be transferred to federal custody.
Conclusion
The conflict between President Donald Trump and the state of Colorado continues to escalate. Trump’s veto of the Arkansas Valley Conduit Act and denial of disaster funding have been met with criticism from Colorado Republicans, who are starting to speak out against the president’s latest moves. As the situation continues to unfold, it remains to be seen how Colorado will respond to Trump’s war against the state. One thing is certain, however: the people of southeastern Colorado, who voted overwhelmingly for Trump in 2024, will continue to suffer the consequences of the president’s actions.