April 15, 2026 08:50 AM UTC

Trump's Petty Vengeance Against Colorado Rolls On

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• by: Colorado Pols

As Colorado Newsline’s Lindsey Toomer reports, this week Colorado got notice of the latest adverse decision from the Trump administration following President Donald Trump’s vow last year to impose “harsh measures” on the state for refusing to release convicted felon election denier Tina Peters–final denial of the appeal of last December’s refusal to grant disaster relief aid to our state after a summer of fire and flooding:

[Gov. Jared] Polis, a Democrat, asked the Federal Emergency Management Agency to issue major disaster declarations last year for the Elk and Lee Fires in Rio Blanco County and for flooding in western Colorado. Declarations would have opened up FEMA funding to help Colorado communities recovering from the natural disasters. The denial means the affected communities will have fewer resources to recover from the disasters and build infrastructure to prevent future damages.

The state will explore “every available path” to support the communities, but the federal government is meant to be a reliable partner in disaster recovery, Polis said.

“Colorado communities have done everything right — responding quickly, documenting the damage, and working in good faith with federal partners — only for the Trump administration to deny funding to help Colorado communities recover,” Polis said in a statement. “These disasters caused real damage to homes, infrastructure, and local economies, and Coloradans should not be left to shoulder these costs alone.”

After the Trump administration in December denied Polis’ initial request, he filed an appeal in January. All 10 members of Colorado’s congressional delegation, Republicans and Democrats, supported the appeal…

Much like Trump’s veto of funds to complete the Arkansas Valley Conduit water project, Colorado’s congressional delegation usually stands united in their politely-worded letters objecting to these compounding acts of political retaliation against the people of this state in the service of Trump’s personal grievances. But for self-evident reasons, only Democrats can say the name of the man responsible for this brazen game of carrot and stick:

Colorado U.S. Senators Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper issued a statement following President Trump’s decision to uphold his previous refusal of Major Disaster Declarations for the Lee and Elk Fires in August 2025 and the Southwest Colorado flooding in October 2025:

“Disasters are disasters, regardless of state lines or political parties. President Trump’s refusal to grant Major Disaster Declarations for the 2025 Lee and Elk Fires and the Southwest Colorado flooding is callous and leaves rural Coloradans, who urgently need support, vulnerable and footing the bill. Critical infrastructure remains unstable, costs continue to rise, and communities remain at risk. The President is solely responsible for this abdication of responsibility; [Pols emphasis] the consequences of which will continue to be severe and long-lasting.”

In contrast, Rep. Gabe Evans’ shrill demands for Democrats to back down in their standoff over funding for the Department of Homeland Security, citing the urgent need to fund (wait for it) the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), are almost tragicomically undercut by Trump’s denial of FEMA funds to Evans’ own state. Why should anyone in Colorado feel urgency to give taxpayer money to Trump to then withhold from us in retaliation?

In Trump’s petty war against Colorado, local Republicans are hapless enablers at best–and before it’s over, they could find themselves collateral damage.