Trump says Jared Polis 'should be ashamed of himself' for keeping Tina Peters 'hostage'

WASHINGTON, DC: Former Colorado elections official Tina Peters is still in state custody following a Colorado Department of Corrections decision, and the issue has now landed back on President Donald Trump’s radar.

On Wednesday, December 3, he jumped onto Truth Social and went absolutely nuts on Colorado Governor Jared Polis. He said Polis is keeping Peters “hostage” and straight-up branded him a “sleazebag.”

Trump also called Peters’ conviction “unfair” and accused Democrats of playing dirty with elections. He even slammed Polis as a “lightweight governor.”

Trump blasts Colorado Governor Jared Polis over Tina Peters’ imprisonment

Trump began by saying, “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 continued, “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.”

Trump added, “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 concluded, “This lightweight Governor, who has allowed his State to go to hell (Tren de Aragua, anyone?), should be ashamed of himself. FREE TINA!”

Tina Peters’ election breach case sparks Trump’s political intervention

Tina Peters is currently in a Colorado Department of Corrections facility, serving a nine-year sentence tied to an election-system breach rooted in 2020 conspiracy theories. In August 2024, she was found guilty on seven of the ten charges against her.

Prosecutors said she allowed election-denial activists to access Mesa County’s voting machines, triggering a major security breach. Her situation escalated further after Colorado officials urged Governor Jared Polis not to transfer her into federal custody.

Meanwhile, Donald Trump has been loudly backing her, calling her a “hostage” and demanding her release. However, he cannot pardon her while she is held on state charges. In August, Trump even warned Colorado of “harsh measures” unless Peters was freed, claiming she has been “tortured” by what he described as corrupt state politicians.

Despite Peters’ insistence that she is innocent, and Trump’s public pressure, she faced a harsh reality at her sentencing last October. District Court Judge Matthew Barrett did not hold back, telling her, “You are no hero. You’re a charlatan who used, and is still using, your prior position in office to peddle a snake oil that’s been proven to be junk time and time again.”