President Donald Trump told Politico he vetoed a bipartisan bill to fund a Colorado water project because it's another example of wasteful spending under Democrat Gov. Jared Polis.
In an interview with Politico, Trump said he rejected the Finish the Arkansas Valley Conduit Act because he said Washington should not pour more money into a state that is being mismanaged by Polis.
Trump claimed Coloradans are "leaving the state in droves," calling Polis a "bad governor" and framing the veto as a stand against what he described as reckless spending.
The measure, which passed both the House and Senate unanimously, would have helped complete a long-running pipeline project aimed at delivering clean drinking water to southeastern Colorado communities, rural areas where Trump has traditionally performed strongly.
But the president said the project is another example of wasteful federal spending, telling Politico, "They’re wasting a lot of money and people are leaving the state."
The White House announced the veto Tuesday, alongside Trump's rejection of a second bill involving limited control for the Miccosukee Tribe over part of the Everglades in Florida.
The vetoes are the first two of Trump's second term, signaling the president is willing to buck Congress, even when legislation is bipartisan and broadly popular, if he believes it conflicts with his agenda.
Trump's Colorado veto comes amid an escalating feud with Polis and renewed national focus on the case of Tina Peters, a former county clerk serving a nine-year sentence after being convicted on state charges tied to unauthorized access to voting machines.
Trump has repeatedly defended Peters, arguing she was punished for trying to expose election wrongdoing.
In a Truth Social post on Wednesday, Trump praised Peters and lashed out at Polis and local officials in harsh terms, claiming she is imprisoned for the "crime" of trying to stop voter fraud.
He accused Democrats of using election systems to keep Republicans from winning Colorado and ended the post with: "FREE TINA PETERS!"
Polis, Democrats, and even some Republicans blasted Trump's veto as politically motivated.
The governor called it "disappointing," saying the president is "hurting rural Colorado" by blocking a project the state views as essential.
Sen. Michael Bennet, D-Colo., described the move as a "revenge tour" in an X post.
Trump allies in Congress were also caught off guard.
Rep. Lauren Boebert, a Republican who sponsored the bill, condemned the veto and urged the administration not to make its "legacy blocking projects that deliver water to rural Americans."
Boebert suggested she hopes the veto "has nothing to do with political retaliation."
Trump, however, has made clear he sees the issue through a broader lens — one that ties federal spending, state leadership, election integrity, and accountability together.
Reuters contributed to this report.