Trump Pardons Tina Peters, Former Colorado Clerk Convicted in 2021 Voting Machine Breach

On December 11, 2025, President Donald Trump announced he has granted a full pardon to Tina Peters, the former Mesa County, Colorado clerk who was convicted of a 2021 breach involving county voting-machine equipment.

The announcement came via Trump’s Truth Social platform, where he condemned Democrats and prosecutors for what he described as politically motivated actions against Peters and other supporters aligned with his efforts to contest the results of the 2020 presidential election. In his post, Trump wrote: “For years, Democrats ignored Violent and Vicious Crime of all shapes, sizes, colors, and types. Violent Criminals who should have been locked up were allowed to attack again. Democrats were also far too happy to let in the worst from the worst countries so they could rip off American Taxpayers. Democrats only think there is one crime – Not voting for them! Instead of protecting Americans and their Tax Dollars, Democrats chose instead to prosecute anyone they can find that wanted Safe and Secure Elections. Democrats have been relentless in their targeting of TINA PETERS, a Patriot who simply wanted to make sure that our Elections were Fair and Honest. Tina is sitting in a Colorado prison for the ‘crime’ of demanding Honest Elections. Today I am granting Tina a full Pardon for her attempts to expose Voter Fraud in the Rigged 2020 Presidential Election!”

The pardon followed Peters’ formal request for clemency after a court rejected her habeas corpus filing. Her attorney, Peter Ticktin, reported that Peters has been threatened and attacked by other inmates during her incarceration.

Peters gained national prominence following a 2021 security breach in Mesa County, where confidential voting-machine data was copied and leaked online. Colorado officials stated the incident violated state security protocols and exposed sensitive election information. Prosecutors alleged Peters permitted an unauthorized person into a secure area during a voting-machine update and assisted in copying restricted Dominion Voting Systems software.

In 2024, a Colorado jury found Peters guilty of obstruction of a government operation, a misdemeanor, for interfering with investigators during the breach inquiry. She was sentenced to four months in jail and ordered to pay fines and perform community service. Additional felony charges related to the data breach remained pending at the time.

Peters and her supporters maintain she acted as a whistleblower seeking to expose election system vulnerabilities, while state officials contend her actions endangered election security and violated access rules designed to protect voting equipment.