Trump blocks Colorado pipeline and Florida land bills in first vetoes of new term

WASHINGTON, DC: President Donald Trump issued the first vetoes of his second term, blocking two bipartisan bills related to infrastructure and land use. The White House said that the president rejected the measures on Tuesday, December 30, to prevent what he described as unnecessary taxpayer spending. 

One bill focused on water pipeline costs in Colorado, while the other addressed land expansion and flood mitigation for a Native American tribe in Florida. Congress retained the option to override the vetoes with a two-thirds vote in both chambers.

Trump cites fiscal concerns in blocking the bipartisan bills 

The president vetoed HR 131, a bill designed to reduce payments certain communities in Colorado made toward the construction of a water pipeline. 

In a message sent to Congress, Trump argued that the legislation would place an undue burden on taxpayers. 

“Enough is enough. My Administration is committed to preventing American taxpayers from funding expensive and unreliable policies. Ending the massive cost of taxpayer handouts and restoring fiscal sanity is vital to economic growth and the fiscal health of the Nation,” Trump said. 

The second vetoed measure, HR 504, would have expanded land reserved for the Miccosukee Tribe in Florida and directed the Department of the Interior to work with the tribe to mitigate flooding risks in the newly designated area.

Both bills had received bipartisan support in Congress prior to reaching the president’s desk.

Under the Constitution, lawmakers can override a presidential veto if two-thirds of both the House and Senate vote to approve the legislation again.

The White House has said that the vetoes reflect the administration’s broader efforts to rein in federal spending. 

Political fallout and reactions from lawmakers 

Trump’s veto of the Colorado-focused HR 131 drew sharp criticism from Democratic Senator Michael Bennet, who suggested that the move was politically motivated.

In a post on X, Bennet said, “This isn’t governing. It’s a revenge tour. It’s unacceptable.” Bennet’s comments came amid ongoing tensions between Trump and Colorado Democratic Governor Jared Polis.

The two have clashed publicly over the case of Tina Peters, a former election official who is currently serving a state prison sentence. 

Earlier this month, Trump granted Peters a full federal pardon, though the pardon did not affect her state convictions. Polis had said that decisions regarding her release rest with the courts.

In a Wednesday morning post on Truth Social, Trump renewed his calls for Peters to be freed, while criticizing Polis and what he described as “the disgusting ‘Republican’ (RINO!) DA, who did this to her.”

The administration also announced plans to close a major research center in Colorado, with the White House suggesting that the move was tied to disagreements with the state’s leadership.

GOP Rep Lauren Boebert of Colorado, an ally of Trump who sponsored HR 131, responded to the veto by posting on X, “This isn’t over.”