Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser has expanded Colorado’s federal lawsuit against the Trump administration, arguing that the White House has launched an unlawful campaign of political retaliation against the state for exercising its independent authority over elections and criminal justice. The updated filing, announced Thursday, adds new examples of what Weiser describes as a coordinated effort to punish Colorado after the state refused to release former Mesa County Clerk Tina Peters from prison, where she is serving a nine‑year sentence for her role in the 2021 breach of election equipment in Mesa County.

According to the lawsuit, the pressure campaign intensified after President Trump publicly criticized Colorado officials for declining to pardon Peters, calling her a “patriot” and attacking state leaders on social media. Weiser said the administration’s actions escalated into direct threats against major state institutions and funding streams, including research centers, food assistance programs, and military infrastructure. He argued that these actions were not legitimate policy decisions but targeted punishments designed to coerce Colorado into abandoning its sovereign powers.

The expanded complaint cites several federal decisions that Colorado believes were taken in retaliation. Among them are threats to dismantle the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, a renewed push to relocate U.S. Space Command from Colorado Springs to Alabama, and attempts to force Colorado into a federal pilot program as a condition for receiving food assistance benefits. Weiser said these actions violate constitutional protections that prevent the president from singling out a state for punishment based on its lawful choices. “The U.S. Constitution does not permit the president to single out states for punishment based on their exercise of core sovereign powers,” he said in announcing the updated lawsuit.

Colorado Newsline reported that the administration has “ramped up a widespread campaign of retribution” in recent weeks, adding new pressure points that the state argues are unconstitutional. The lawsuit now includes additional federal actions that Colorado says threaten state sovereignty and undermine essential programs and institutions. Weiser, who is also running for governor, said the state will continue to challenge what he described as a broad pattern of unlawful interference in Colorado’s affairs.

The case is expected to move quickly through the federal courts, given its implications for federal‑state relations and the potential impact on Colorado’s research infrastructure, military presence, and social services. State officials say they intend to defend Colorado’s autonomy and ensure that federal agencies cannot use funding or institutional threats as tools of political coercion.