US President Donald Trump has stepped up pressure on Colorado officials to release Tina Peters, the former Mesa County clerk jailed for election-related crimes, calling her an “elderly woman” and “cancer survivor” who is being unfairly targeted by political opponents. His renewed intervention — delivered in a blistering Truth Social post — escalated the already difficult legal and political dispute surrounding Peters’ nine-year sentence.
Why is Donald Trump demanding the release of Tina Peters?
In a post on Truth Social, Trump slammed Democratic Colorado Gov. Jared Polis and demanded Peters’ immediate release.
“The SLEAZEBAG Governor of Colorado, Jared Polis, refuses to let an elderly woman, Tina Peters, who was wrongfully convicted of what the Democrats are doing, voter fraud, out of jail! She was convicted of trying to stop the Democrats from stealing Colorado’s election votes.”
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“She has now served over a year in prison and has eight years to go. She ‘survived’ cancer on top of everything else.” This easygoing governor who allowed his state to go to hell (Tren de Aragua, anyone?) should be ashamed of himself. FREE TINA!”
Trump’s comments follow months of lobbying by allies who want him to intervene in the case, despite legal limits on presidential authority over state sentencing.
What was Tina Peters convicted of — and why can’t Trump pardon her?
Peters, 70, was convicted last year on state charges of participating in a scheme to hack Mesa County election systems in an attempt to verify Trump’s false claims of mass fraud in the 2020 election. He is serving a nine-year sentence at the Pueblo Women’s Prison.
Because her conviction is under Colorado law, the presidential pardon does not apply to her. Only the governor of Polis has the power to pardon or commute her sentence.
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CNN reported in November that Trump is being “strongly encouraged” by advisers to continue pushing for her release, even though the legal route does not lie with the White House.
Peters’ supporters elevated her to near-martyr status in election conspiracy circles. One of her lawyers, Peter Ticktin, even suggested on Steve Bannon’s podcast that the military should step in to free her – a suggestion with absolutely no legal basis.
Was Colorado considering transferring Peters to federal custody?
No. Colorado officials have stressed that the state has no intention of turning Peters over to federal authorities, despite lobbying from Trump allies.
“The surrender of the individual is an action initiated by the Colorado Department of Corrections, not an outside entity,” spokeswoman Alondra Gonzalez-Garcia said.
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Attorney General Phil Weiser similarly rejected attempts to shift jurisdiction, stating, “Any plan to prevent her from being held accountable under Colorado law is outrageous.
Weiser’s office also opposes Peters’ petition in federal court to be dismissed during her appeal.
What is the reference to the Tren de Aragua in Trump’s post?
Trump’s Truth Social post also invoked the Tren de Aragua, a violent Venezuelan transnational criminal organization.
The phrase – “Tren de Aragua, anyone?” — was deployed as part of a broader attack on Gov. Polis, suggesting that Colorado is experiencing a spiraling crime rate under his leadership.
Tren de Aragua is known for:
- extortion
- human trafficking
- migrant smuggling
- kidnappings
- murder
- control of border crossings in South America
While the gang has expanded across America, Trump’s legacy serves primarily as a political tool to brand Colorado as dangerous and mismanaged under a Democratic government. Colorado law enforcement has not reported any significant Tren de Aragua presence in the state.
Who sued Peters — and what are Colorado officials saying about election integrity?
Although Tina Peters and her supporters see her actions as heroic whistleblowing, Colorado officials emphasize that the case was led by Republican prosecutors and supported by election supervisors in her own conservative county.
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They note: There is no evidence of significant election fraud in Colorado.
The state’s election infrastructure is widely regarded as one of the most secure in the country.
Tina Peters knowingly allowed an unauthorized person access to the voting system and misled colleagues about her identity. She claims her actions compromised election security rather than protecting it.
What’s next for Peters and Trump’s campaign to free her?
Peters is currently appealing her conviction, but her prospects for early release remain uncertain.
Trump, meanwhile, has made her case a rallying cry for his base, calling her a political prisoner and a symbol of alleged Democratic election malpractice.
Colorado leaders, including Governor Polis, remain steadfast in their stance, insisting that Peters’ sentence must be carried out in accordance with the law.
