Trump Took Revenge on MAGA Ally Lauren Boebert Over Epstein Vote, Thomas Massie Says
Massie said Trump retaliated against Boebert after she helped force a House vote on releasing the Epstein files.

SOURCE CHECK
TAP FOR WHYThe Daily Beast is an established national digital news outlet with named authors and original reporting. The article attributes its central allegation to a named lawmaker and includes Trump’s stated rationale, though it relies heavily on one source.
- Source type — Established national news outlet.
- Editorial standards — The article presents attributed statements and includes the administration's stated explanation.
- Author attribution — A named author is credited.
- Source diversity — The central allegation comes from Massie; the White House and Boebert's office had not responded.
The report names its source for the retaliation allegation and gives Trump's stated reason for the veto. It offers little independent evidence about the alleged motive, relies primarily on Massie's account, and says the White House and Boebert's office had not responded.
HOW WE SCORE ↗The article includes Massie's allegation and Trump's explanation for the veto, but offers no independent corroboration of the alleged motive and no response from Boebert or the White House.
- Source diversity — Massie is the sole source for the retaliation claim; the named offices did not respond.
- Counterarguments presented — Trump's stated cost and efficiency rationale is included.
- Loaded language — The headline adopts the word 'revenge' while attributing the claim to Massie.
- Omitted context — The article provides little detail about the water project or evidence for Massie's interpretation.
The report attributes the revenge allegation to Massie, but the headline states it forcefully and the article gives substantial space to that critical framing. It also includes Trump's stated rationale for the veto.
- Headline — The headline frames the veto as revenge, while attributing the claim to Massie.
- Framing — The article foregrounds Massie's allegation about retaliation.
- Source selection — Massie's account is central, but Trump's stated rationale is also included.
Rep. Thomas Massie said President Donald Trump vetoed Colorado water legislation to retaliate against Rep. Lauren Boebert for supporting a push to release the Epstein files. Trump’s stated reason was that the project was too costly and inefficient.
Massie alleged on The Tucker Carlson Show that Trump pressured Boebert to remove her name from a discharge petition seeking a House vote on releasing the Epstein files, then vetoed Colorado water legislation in retaliation. The article reports that Boebert had been a decisive vote in forcing the House vote and that the Epstein Files Transparency Act was nearly unanimously passed by Congress.
Trump said his administration was committed to avoiding taxpayer funding for costly, unreliable policies and described the water project as too costly and inefficient. The White House and Boebert’s office did not immediately respond to the Daily Beast’s requests for comment.
Community verdict
VOTING CLOSEDNo good or bad look here
This story reports what happened without casting Boebert in a good or bad light, so readers don’t rate it and it doesn’t count toward Boebert’s record.
People in this story
SWIPE →Colorado representative whose vote and support for the discharge petition are cited as the alleged reason for Trump's veto
Kentucky representative alleging that Trump vetoed Colorado water legislation in retaliation against Boebert
Massie's version of this story ↗President whose veto of Colorado water legislation is alleged to have been retaliation against Boebert
Trump's version of this story ↗Part of a bigger story
5 OUTLETSOutlets report that Thomas Massie said President Donald Trump vetoed a Colorado water bill to retaliate against Lauren Boebert for supporting an effort to release Epstein-related files. Left-leaning outlets foreground Massie’s retaliation allegation. Center outlets also report the allegation, with Mediaite stressing it is unverified. Right-leaning outlets pair it with Trump’s stated cost rationale for the veto.
- ARTICLES
- 5
- OUTLETS
- 5
- AVG CRED
- 60
- Daily Mail · Trump 'cut off water to Colorado' after MAGA congresswoman refused pressure to bury Epstein files
- Raw Story · Trump torpedoed state's water supply to punish Boebert for Epstein files: Republican
- The Daily Caller · Thomas Massie Says Trump Intimidated, Retaliated Against GOP Rep 'Over Epstein'
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