Colorado on the frontlines of Trump's second-term agenda
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President Trump at a campaign rally in Aurora in October 2024. Photo: Michael Ciaglo/Getty Images
Colorado is increasingly in the crosshairs of the Trump administration's power plays, setting up high-stakes clashes with wide-ranging implications.
Why it matters: The big blue wall Democratic lawmakers erected this year to shield the state from federal overreach faces mounting stress tests from President Trump.
Driving the news: This past week alone delivered a flurry of fights:
🦾 Trump signed an executive order aimed at curbing state-level AI regulations that singled out Colorado's new AI law. The order warned Colorado's law could "force AI models to produce false results" to avoid disparate impacts.
🚪 The president announced he pardoned convicted ex-Mesa County clerk Tina Peters, despite lacking authority over state convictions. Colorado officials are now bracing for a legal showdown.
🗳️ The U.S. Department of Justice sued Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold to obtain unredacted voter rolls — a demand that could expose thousands of Coloradans' sensitive information.
🔎 The DOJ also opened an investigation into conditions in Colorado's prisons and youth facilities, signaling possible federal intervention.
💉 State health officials publicly rejected the Trump administration's rollback of the long-standing recommendation that newborns receive the hepatitis B vaccine.
Meanwhile, Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser on Friday filed his 46th lawsuit against the administration since the start of Trump's second term, this time targeting its $100,000 fee on new H-1B visa petitions — a move Weiser argues is "devastating" for the state and "threatens" core public services.
Catch up quick: These aren't isolated skirmishes. Colorado has taken hits from the administration all year. Some of the most recent include the relocation of U.S. Space Command and deep cuts to statewide climate and K-12 funding.
What we're watching: The battlefield appears to be widening. The question isn't so much whether these fights will reshape Colorado — but how far and fast.