Lauren Boebert has been one of President Trump's most loyal allies in Congress.
But that relationship just ran into a brick wall.
And Lauren Boebert got hit with this nasty surprise from Donald Trump.
Trump drops the hammer on Boebert's signature achievement
President Trump used the first veto of his second term to kill a water pipeline project that passed both the House and Senate unanimously.
The Arkansas Valley Conduit would bring clean drinking water to 50,000 people in southeastern Colorado where groundwater is contaminated with salt and sometimes radioactivity.¹
Republican Congresswoman Lauren Boebert sponsored what Colorado Public Radio called "perhaps the most impactful bill" she's sponsored during her time in Congress.²
Communities waited more than 60 years for this project since President Kennedy first proposed it in 1962.³
The pipeline would serve 39 communities between Pueblo and Lamar through a 130-mile conduit bringing water from Pueblo Reservoir.⁴
Trump rejected the measure claiming it had become "an unfair burden on federal taxpayers" despite the fact both chambers passed it by voice vote.⁵
More than $249 million has already been spent on the project with a total price tag that could exceed $1.3 billion.⁶
Boebert didn't hold back when responding to Trump's veto.
"President Trump decided to veto a completely non-controversial, bipartisan bill that passed both the House and Senate unanimously," Boebert stated. "Why? Because nothing says 'America First' like denying clean drinking water to 50,000 people in Southeast Colorado, many of whom enthusiastically voted for him in all three elections."⁷
She added, "I must have missed the rally where he stood in Colorado and promised to personally derail critical water infrastructure projects. My bad, I thought the campaign was about lowering costs and cutting red tape."⁸
The Epstein connection nobody's talking about
Boebert also questioned whether Trump's veto was payback for her recent defiance on another explosive issue.
"I sincerely hope this veto has nothing to do with political retaliation for calling out corruption and demanding accountability," Boebert said.⁹
She was one of just four Republicans who signed a discharge petition in November forcing a House vote to release Jeffrey Epstein's investigative files from the Justice Department.
Trump personally called Boebert in early November trying to get her to remove her name from the petition before it reached 218 signatures.¹⁰
The President even dispatched FBI Director Kash Patel, Attorney General Pam Bondi, and Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche to meet with Boebert at the White House.¹¹
But Boebert refused to back down and kept her signature on the petition alongside Representatives Thomas Massie, Marjorie Taylor Greene, and Nancy Mace.
The discharge petition succeeded when Representative-elect Adelita Grijalva of Arizona became the 218th signature on November 12.¹²
Trump had called the Epstein file release a "Democrat Epstein Hoax" and warned it would be seen as a "hostile act" if Republicans supported it.¹³
Boebert ignored those warnings and voted to force the release anyway.
Trump's war with Colorado escalates
The veto also comes as Trump has been sparring with Colorado officials over his attempt to pardon Tina Peters.
Peters is a former Mesa County clerk serving nine years in state prison for tampering with voting machines during the 2020 election.¹⁴
Trump issued a federal pardon for Peters in December but Colorado Governor Jared Polis correctly noted presidents have no constitutional authority to pardon state crimes.¹⁵
Trump vowed in August to take "harsh measures" if Peters wasn't released and has repeatedly attacked Colorado officials for keeping her behind bars.¹⁶
Democrat Senator Michael Bennet called Trump's veto "a revenge tour" rather than governing.¹⁷
The Trump administration also denied two disaster declaration requests that would have provided federal funding for wildfire and flood recovery in Colorado.¹⁸
A White House official told The New York Times that "Colorado constituents would be better served if Gov. Polis wanted to work with the president."¹⁹
Trump's veto puts Speaker Mike Johnson in a difficult position since the bill passed unanimously.
Congress could override the veto with a two-thirds vote in both chambers but it's unclear if leadership will schedule such a vote.
Overriding a presidential veto is extremely rare especially when the President's party controls Congress.
But Republicans in swing districts may face pressure from constituents who want clean water for rural communities.
Boebert made clear this fight isn't over.
"If this administration wants to make its legacy blocking projects that deliver water to rural Americans; that's on them," Boebert declared. "I'm going to continue fighting for Colorado and standing up for our rural communities, our farmers, and every family that deserves safe, reliable drinking water without decades more delay."²⁰
¹ Colorado Public Radio, "Trump vetoes bipartisan bill to provide clean water to rural Colorado," December 30, 2025.
² Ibid.
³ Newsweek, "Trump Issues First Veto of Second Term, Blocks Colorado Water Pipeline," December 30, 2025.
³ Ibid.
⁴ Colorado Public Radio, "Trump vetoes bipartisan bill to provide clean water to rural Colorado," December 30, 2025.
⁵ CBS News, "Trump vetoes the first 2 bills of this term," December 30, 2025.
⁶ Newsweek, "Lauren Boebert Sends Message to Trump Over Vetoing Colorado Water Project," December 31, 2025.
⁷ The Daily Caller, "Lauren Boebert Goes Scorched Earth On Trump For Putting Kibosh On Her Bill," December 31, 2025.
⁸ Ibid.
⁹ Colorado Public Radio, "Trump vetoes bipartisan bill to provide clean water to rural Colorado," December 31, 2025.
¹⁰ The New Republic, "Trump Begs Lauren Boebert to Take Her Name Off Epstein Files Petition," November 12, 2025.
¹¹ ABC News, "Top administration officials met with Boebert about House vote on release of Epstein files: Sources," November 12, 2025.
¹² NBC News, "Bipartisan duo secures signatures to force a House vote to release Epstein files," November 12, 2025.
¹³ Ibid.
¹⁴ CNN Politics, "Trump announces pardon for Tina Peters, increasing pressure to free her though he can't erase state charges," December 11, 2025.
¹⁵ Ibid.
¹⁶ Ibid.
¹⁷ CNN Politics, "Trump vetoes two bipartisan bills, marking first vetoes of second term," December 31, 2025.
¹⁸ Colorado Newsline, "Tina Peters asks Colorado appeals court to order her release after Trump pardon," December 16, 2025.
¹⁹ Ibid.
²⁰ KDVR, "Trump vetoes unanimously approved, Boebert-sponsored water bill," December 31, 2025.
