Trump Blasts Colorado Governor in Fiery Post: “FREE TINA!” (Photo by Pete Marovich/Getty Images)
President Donald Trump unleashed a harsh attack on Colorado Gov. Jared Polis on Wednesday after the governor declined to transfer custody of Tina Peters, a close Trump ally who is serving a nine-year prison sentence. Trump’s remarks appeared on his Truth Social account and targeted Polis directly, calling him a “sleazbag” and accusing him of blocking efforts to free Peters.
Earlier in the week, Polis’ office instructed state prison officials not to comply with Trump’s request to release Peters into federal custody. Peters, 70, is a former Mesa County clerk who was convicted of leaking secure passwords related to Colorado’s election systems. Prosecutors said she shared the data with right-wing activists as part of her support for Trump’s efforts to challenge the 2020 election results. She is currently more than a year into her sentence.
Trump’s response was swift and emotional. In his post, he wrote, “The SLEAZEBAG Governor of Colorado, Jared Polis, refuses to allow an elderly woman, Tina Peters, who was unfairly convicted of what the Democrats do, cheating on Elections, out of jail!” He insisted Peters was targeted for political reasons, arguing that her actions were intended to protect election integrity rather than undermine it. According to Trump, “She was convicted for trying to stop Democrats from stealing Colorado Votes in the Election. She was preserving Election Records, which she was obligated to do under Federal Law.”
(Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
Peters’ case has been a focus of national attention because it touches both election security and ongoing disputes about the legitimacy of the 2020 election. State officials said her actions compromised secure election infrastructure, while her supporters continue to frame her as a whistleblower who attempted to expose wrongdoing. The court rejected that argument during her trial, and she received one of the toughest sentences in any election-related case from that period.
In the same post, Trump noted that Peters has already served more than a year and emphasized her age and health history, writing, “She has now served more than one year in jail, and has eight years to go. On top of everything else, she is a cancer survivor.'” He used her situation to escalate his criticism of Polis, saying, “This lightweight Governor, who has allowed his State to go to hell (Tren de Aragua, anyone?), should be ashamed of himself. FREE TINA!”
Polis has not directly addressed Trump’s remarks in public. According to his office, the state refused to release Peters because there is no legal basis for a custody transfer, following the usual process. Colorado officials emphasized that since Peters was found guilty in state court of breaking state law, Colorado still has complete control over her incarceration.
The disagreement draws attention to a wider political split over how election-related offenses should be handled. In instances related to attempts to reverse the 2020 results, Trump continues to defend allies who were accused or found guilty. Attempts to minimize or overturn such convictions have been challenged by several state authorities, including members of Republican administrations, who claim that doing so jeopardizes election security.
As of right now, Peters is still incarcerated in Colorado, and there is no indication that the state would reconsider. Trump’s call to “FREE TINA!” is sure to resonate with his supporters, especially those who continue to believe that the 2020 election was rigged. Although it is unknown how much of an influence this new attention will have on Polis’s legal position, the clash between Trump and Polis has added another level of tension to the ongoing national concerns about elections, responsibility, and political allegiance.
