Trump Blasts Colorado Gov. Jared Polis Over Tina Peters Conviction, Repeats Gang Allegations

President Donald Trump on Monday sharply criticized Colorado Gov. Jared Polis during an Oval Office event largely focused on curbing migrants and drug smuggling at the southern border, using the occasion to attack the governor over the conviction of former Mesa County clerk Tina Peters.

While noting recent seizures of fentanyl pills in Colorado, Trump pivoted to Polis and accused him of being weak in the face of criminal activity. "The governor of Colorado is a weak and pathetic man who was run by Tren de Aragua," Trump said, referring to the Venezuelan gang that has been reported to have a presence in parts of the state. "The criminals from Venezuela took over sections of Colorado. And he was afraid to do anything, but he puts Tina in jail for nine years because she caught people cheating."

"The governor of Colorado is a weak and pathetic man who was run by Tren de Aragua," Trump said. "The criminals from Venezuela took over sections of Colorado. And he was afraid to do anything, but he puts Tina in jail for nine years because she caught people cheating."

Trump also complained that Polis would not "allow our wonderful Tina to come out of a jail, and a high-intensity jail," arguing Peters was being treated harshly despite her claims about election improprieties.

Peters, who served as Mesa County clerk, was convicted by a jury in 2024 on seven counts, including four felonies. The charges relate to her role in facilitating access to county voting equipment as part of efforts to investigate alleged voter fraud after the 2020 election — claims she and her allies were unable to substantiate in court.

Last week, Trump announced he had granted a pardon to Peters, a move that prompted discussion because her convictions stem from state-level prosecutions. Presidential pardons apply to federal offenses, not state convictions, so the announcement raised legal and practical questions about enforcement and effect.

The president has repeatedly assailed Polis over the case and warned of political consequences for Colorado if Peters is not freed. Polis, responding to the criticism, urged Trump to focus on policy matters. "We would all benefit if the President spent less time posting attacks and instead worked on ending tariffs and making Christmas more affordable for American families," Polis wrote on social media.

This episode highlights ongoing tensions between federal and state authority, the limits of presidential clemency, and the continuing political fallout from disputes tied to the 2020 election.