Attorney General Weiser fights back against Trump’s revenge campaign on Colorado

Updated Space Command lawsuit includes hits on food benefits, NCAR, and federal funds

Jan. 8, 2026 (DENVER) – As President Trump and his administration ramp up threats and punishments against Colorado, Attorney General Phil Weiser today responded with an updated lawsuit challenging the administration’s recent illegal actions to force the state to participate in a pilot program as a condition for food assistance for the needy, dismantle the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, and cut off federal funds for important programs.

“The U.S. Constitution does not permit the president to single out states for punishment based on their exercise of core sovereign powers. And yet, that is exactly what President Trump has done by threatening to dismantle NCAR and wipe out hundreds of jobs, pulling back federal funds mandated by Congress for transportation and energy projects, and cutting social services programs. States have power to manage elections and administer our criminal justice systems. The administration cannot punish Colorado into submission, and that is why we filed his lawsuit to fight for Colorado,” said Attorney General Weiser.

The state’s case against the administration began when the president announced last fall the decision to move U.S. Space Command Headquarters from Colorado Springs to Alabama to punish Colorado for its vote by mail system. Attorney General Weiser sued the administration on Oct. 29 seeking a court order declaring that the decision to move Space Command is unconstitutional and unlawful and an injunction prohibiting the Trump administration from taking further action to move the facility based on the illegal decision.

Today, Attorney General Weiser updated this lawsuit to include several other actions the Trump administration has taken to punish Colorado for exercising its sovereign powers. The president on Dec. 11 issued a full pardon for former Mesa County Clerk Tina Peters, who was convicted and imprisoned under state law for her attempts to undermine the integrity of the 2020 election. The president’s pardon power, however, applies to federal, not state convictions. When Colorado refused to release Ms. Peters, the administration’s revenge campaign went into overdrive.

  • On Dec. 16, the Trump administration announced it was terminating $109 million in transportation funding for Colorado and planned to end another $615 million in U.S. Department of Energy funding earmarked for the state.
  • The same day, the administration announced it planned to dismantle the National Center for Atmospheric Research, or NCAR, in Boulder.
  • Two days later, on Dec.18, the U.S. Department of Agriculture ordered Colorado to recertify eligibility and conduct in-person interviews for all 100,000 households receiving SNAP food assistance in five counties within 30 days. If Colorado failed to complete this impossible and unlawful task, USDA threatened sanctions, including potentially removing Colorado from the SNAP program.
  • And on Dec. 20, the Federal Emergency Management Agency denied two disaster relief assistance requests from Colorado related to devastating wildfires and flooding.

This series of events, and its timing, reflect an unmistakable campaign of punishment and threats against Colorado in direct response to Colorado’s lawful exercise of sovereign powers. And more might be coming.

The updated lawsuit asserts that the president’s actions to punish Colorado and impose further harmful executive action violate the Tenth Amendment, the Elections Clause, state sovereignty, separation-of-powers principles, and numerous federal laws.

The state is asking a court to declare that the Trump administration’s actions to punish Colorado based on Colorado’s lawful exercise of its sovereign powers are unconstitutional and unlawful. Attorney General Weiser also is asking the court to block federal agencies from implementing or enforcing these unconstitutional and unlawful actions.

Read the updated lawsuit Colorado v. Trump et al (PDF).

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Media Contact:
Lawrence Pacheco
Chief Communications Officer
(720) 508-6553 office
lawrence.pacheco@coag.gov