DENVER — Gov. Jared Polis warned Thursday of the effect of potential Medicaid cuts in Colorado, reiterated his support for federal immigration authorities’ efforts in the state and criticized President Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Polis, joined by a Canadian diplomat, made the comments at a news conference he called to highlight Colorado’s “close partnership” with the United States’ northern neighbor amid an escalating trade war and Trump’s threats of annexing Canada. It was Polis’ widest-ranging news conference since Trump was inaugurated nearly two months ago. “It’s also important, very important, that Canadians know that not all Americans — in fact, most Americans — don’t feel the way that our current administration has been treating them is appropriate or good,” Polis said during the event in the state Capitol.
kAmw6C6’D H92E 6=D6 E96 8@G6C?@C 5:D4FDD65 %9FCD52J]k^Am
kAm—t7764E @7 A@E6?E:2= 7656C2= |65:42:5 4FEDk^Am
kAm!@=:D H2C?65 E92E A@E6?E:2= 7656C2= 4FED E@ |65:42:5 H@F=5 “E9C@H r@=@C252?D @77 E96:C 962=E9 42C6” 2?5 AFE 962=E9 4=:?:4D 2?5 9@DA:E2=D :? ;6@A2C5J] qFE E96 DE2E6 2=D@ 5@6D?’E 92G6 4@?4C6E6 324<FA A=2?D :? A=246 2D E96 >6>36CD @7 r@?8C6DD H@C< E9C@F89 7656C2= 3F586E 4FED 42==65 7@C 3J k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]56?G6CA@DE]4@>^a_ad^_a^ad^4@?8C6DD\3F586E\;@9?D@?\ECF>A\286?52^Qm2 7C2>6H@C< A2DD65 =2E6 =2DE >@?E9k^2m]k^Am
kAm“(6 5@?’E <?@H H92E’D 92AA6?:?8 J6E[” !@=:D D2:5] “x H@F=5 36 G6CJ 4@?46C?65 3J E96 w@FD6\A2DD65 3F586E AC@A@D2= E92E H@F=5 E9C@H c__[___ r@=@C252?D @77 @7 E96:C 962=E9 42C6] (6 =@@< 7@CH2C5 E@ 56G6=@A:?8 A=2?D 2C@F?5 H92E E96 7656C2= 8@G6C?>6?E 5@6D]k^Am
kAm“qFE 2E E96 6?5 @7 E96 52J[ E96D6 2C6 C62= r@=@C252?D H9@ H:== =@D6 E96:C 962=E9 42C6 — 2?5 C62= 4@>>F?:EJ 962=E9 4=:?:4D 2?5 9@DA:E2=D E92E H@?’E 92G6 2 G:23=6 3FD:?6DD >@56= 3642FD6 >2?J @7 E96:C A6@A=6 E92E E96J D6CG6 H@?’E 36 23=6 E@ A2J]”k^Am
kAmr@?8C6DD k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]56?G6CA@DE]4@>^a_ad^_a^ae^4@?8C6DD\3C:EE2?J\A6EE6CD6?\?6H3@C?\D@?\3F586E\G@E6\8236\6G2?D^Qm?2CC@H=J A2DD65k^2m E96 7C2>6H@C< :? =2E6 u63CF2CJ[ 2?5 :E :?4=F56D Sa EC:==:@? :? DA6?5:?8 4FED] p== s6>@4C2ED @AA@D65 :E] %96 w@FD6 t?6C8J 2?5 r@>>6C46 r@>>:EE66[ H9:49 :?4=F56D 7C6D9>2? r@=@C25@ &]$] #6A] v236 tG2?D[ 2 #6AF3=:42?[ 92D 366? E2D<65 H:E9 7:?5:?8 Sgg_ 3:==:@? :? 4FED]k^Am
kAm|65:42:5[ H9:49 D6CG6D A@@C A6@A=6[ >2<6D FA 2 9F86 A:646 @7 DA6?5:?8 @G6CD66? 3J E96 4@>>:EE66 2?5 “>2;@C 4FED” 2C6 E96 @?=J H2J :E 4@F=5 >66E E96 DA6?5:?8 8@2=[ 244@C5:?8 E@ 2? 2?2=JD:D k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]<77]@C8^BF:4<\E2<6^E96\>2E9\:D\4@?4=FD:G6\>2;@C\>65:42:5\4FED\2C6\E96\@?=J\H2J\E@\>66E\9@FD6\3F586E\C6D@=FE:@?\C6BF:C6>6?ED^Qm3J E96 z2:D6C u2>:=J u@F?52E:@?k^2m]k^Am
kAm!@=:D D2:5 96 92D 366? =@33J:?8 r@=@C25@’D 4@?8C6DD:@?2= 56=682E:@? 282:?DE E96 4FED]k^Am
kAmtIA=@5:?8 |65:42:5 4@DED 92G6 2=D@ 366? k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]56?G6CA@DE]4@>^a_ad^_`^_d^4@=@C25@\962=E9\42C6\>65:42:5\4@DED\DE2E6\3F586E^Qm5C:G:?8 =@@>:?8 3F586E 4FEDk^2m 2E E96 DE2E6 =6G6=] |65:42:5 >2<6D FA 23@FE 2 E9:C5 @7 r@=@C25@’D S`e 3:==:@? DE2E6 86?6C2= 7F?5] z66A:?8 FA H:E9 32==@@?:?8 4@DED 92D 62E6? :?E@ E96 DE2E6’D DA6?5:?8 8C@HE9 42A 6?D9C:?65 :? E96 r@=@C25@ r@?DE:EFE:@?[ 6G6? 2D >2E49:?8 7656C2= 7F?5:?8 96=AD 3F@J E96 @G6C2== AC@8C2>]k^Am
kAmu656C2= 4FED 4@F=5 562= 2 56G2DE2E:?8 3=@H E@ E96 DE2E6 D6CG:46D]k^Am
kAm—$FAA@CE — 2?5 EC6A:52E:@? — 2C@F?5 xrt @A6C2E:@?Dk^Am
kAm$:I H66<D 27E6C 7656C2= :>>:8C2E:@? 2FE9@C:E:6D k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]56?G6CA@DE]4@>^a_ad^_a^_e^56?G6C\2FC@C2\:46\C2:5D\:>>:8C2E:@?\27E6C>2E9^QmC2:565 D6G6C2= 5:=2A:52E65 2A2CE>6?E 4@>A=6I6Dk^2m :? E96 >6EC@ 2C62[ !@=:D C6:E6C2E65 E92E 96 DE:== G2=F65 A2CE?6CD9:AD H:E9 7656C2= =2H 6?7@C46>6?E 2?5 E92E 96 H2D 92AAJ H:E9 E96:C AC6D6?46 96C6]k^Am
kAmqFE 96 24<?@H=65865 96 5@6D?’E 7F==J <?@H H92E E96J’C6 5@:?8]k^Am
kAm“%@ E96 36DE @7 >J <?@H=6586[ W&]$] x>>:8C2E:@?D 2?5 rFDE@>D t?7@C46>6?EX 92G6 7@4FD65 E96:C @A6C2E:@?D @? 8@:?8 27E6C 4C:>:?2=D[” E96 8@G6C?@C D2:5] “p?5 @7 4@FCD6[ H6’C6 :? 7F== 28C66>6?E E92E 4C:>:?2=D D9@F=5 36 56A@CE65] qFE x 5@?’E 92G6 E96 =6G6= @7 EC2?DA2C6?4J E92E x’5 =:<6 :?E@ E96 56E2:=D @7 E96 @A6C2E:@?D E96J’G6 925 :? @FC DE2E6]”k^Am
kAmp C646?E k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]56?G6CA@DE]4@>^a_ad^_a^_d^56?G6C\:46\C2:5\4652C\CF?\2A2CE>6?ED^Qmxrt C2:5k^2m :? p52>D r@F?EJ[ :?E6?565 E@ C@F?5 FA 2==6865 82?8 >6>36CD[ C6DF=E65 :? ?@ 4C:>:?2= 492C86D] %96 286?4J 92D AF3=:4=J 5:D4=@D65 `f 2CC6DED @7 :>>:8C2?ED H:E9 4C:>:?2= 9:DE@C:6D :? >6EC@ s6?G6C D:?46 %CF>A E@@< @77:46] qFE xrt 92D @E96CH:D6 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]56?G6CA@DE]4@>^a_ad^_b^`b^:46\56?G6C\:>>:8C2E:@?\C2:5D\4@=@C25@\5@?2=5\ECF>A^QmC67FD65 E@ D2Jk^2m 9@H >2?J A6@A=6 H6C6 56E2:?65 @C AC@G:56 @E96C 56E2:=D 23@FE E96 @A6C2E:@?D]k^Am
kAm}2E:@?2==J[ xrt 2CC6DE65 >@C6 :>>:8C2?ED :? u63CF2CJ E92? :? 2?J >@?E9 :? E96 A2DE D6G6? J62CD[ k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]E968F2C5:2?]4@>^FD\?6HD^a_ad^>2C^`b^FD\:>>:8C2E:@?\2CC6DED\763CF2CJ\a_adQm244@C5:?8 E@ 2 vF2C5:2? 2?2=JD:Dk^2m[ 2?5 E96 286?4J 92D D2:5 :E’D 7:==65 :ED 56E6?E:@? 46?E6C 42A24:EJ @7 cf[e__ A6@A=6]k^Am
kAmx? r@=@C25@[ :E :D =@@<:?8 E@ 255 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]56?G6CA@DE]4@>^a_ad^_b^``^56?G6C\:46\6IA2?5\56E6?E:@?\42A24:EJ\4@=@C25@\HJ@>:?8^Qm?62C=J `[___ 365Dk^2m E@ :ED pFC@C2 56E6?E:@? 46?E6C] xrt 92D 4@>6 F?56C :?E6?D6 4C:E:4:D> :? C646?E 52JD 27E6C :E 56E2:?65 2 }6H *@C<\32D65 8C66? 42C5 9@=56C 3642FD6 @7 9:D :?G@=G6>6?E :? AC@E6DED DFAA@CE:G6 @7 !2=6DE:?:2?D]k^Am
kAm%96 5632E6 23@FE r@=@C25@’D C@=6 :? xrt’D @A6C2E:@?D :D =:<6=J E@ 6D42=2E6 :? E96 4@>:?8 52JDi {68:D=2E:G6 s6>@4C2ED :? E96 r2A:E@= 2C6 AC6A2C:?8 E@ :?EC@5F46 2 3:== E92E H@F=5 AC@G:56 7FCE96C AC@E64E:@?D 7@C :>>:8C2?ED =24<:?8 =682= DE2EFD 96C6[ E9@F89 6I24E 56E2:=D C6>2:? F?4=62C 2D :ED DFAA@CE6CD 92G6 C6H@C<65 E96 >62DFC6]k^Am
kAmpD<65 :7 96 H@F=5 DFAA@CE 255:E:@?2= =:>:E2E:@?D @? E96 DE2E6’D C6=2E:@?D9:A H:E9 xrt[ !@=:D 56>FCC65 2?5 D2:5 96 H2D?’E 72>:=:2C H:E9 E96 AC@A@D2=] $E2E6 =2H 4FCC6?E=J =:>:ED =@42= 2FE9@C:E:6D’ 4@@A6C2E:@? H:E9 xrt :? 46CE2:? H2JD @? :>>:8C2E:@? 6?7@C46>6?E]k^Am
kAm“(6 H@C< 4=@D6=J H:E9 xrt[ H6 H@C< 4=@D6=J H:E9 E96 uqx[” 96 D2:5] “~FC 7656C2= =2H 6?7@C46>6?E A2CE?6CD 2C6 2? :>A@CE2?E A2CE @7 <66A:?8 r@=@C25@ D276]”k^Am
kAm—}@?4@>>:EE2= @? =23@C 3:==[ @A6? E@ C6G:D65 8F? 3:==k^Am
kAm!@=:D H2D D:>:=2C=J ?@?4@>>:EE2= 23@FE 2?@E96C 4@?E6?E:@FD 3:== E92E’D :?49:?8 4=@D6C E@ 9:D 56D<] k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^=68]4@=@C25@]8@G^3:==D^D3ad\__dQm$6?2E6 q:== dk^2m H@F=5 C6>@G6 2 A:646 @7 r@=@C25@ =23@C =2H E92E C6BF:C6D @C82?:K65 H@C<6CD E@ A2DD 2 D64@?5 6=64E:@? — 27E6C E96:C :?:E:2= F?:@? 6=64E:@? — 367@C6 E96J 42? ?68@E:2E6 E96 A2CE @7 E96:C F?:@? 4@?EC24E E92E 562=D H:E9 5F6D 2?5 766D]k^Am
kAm%96 3:== 2=C625J A2DD65 E96 $6?2E6 2?5 H2D D6E 7@C :ED 7:CDE w@FD6 4@>>:EE66 G@E6 %9FCD52J] xE’D 6IA64E65 E@ A2DD E96 7F== w@FD6 ?6IE]k^Am
kAm!@=:D H:== E96? 92G6 2 564:D:@? E@ >2<6] w6’D AC:G2E6=J E@=5 E96 3:==’D DFAA@CE6CD E92E 96 H:== G6E@ E96 >62DFC6 F?=6DD s6>@4C2E:4 =2H>2<6CD 2?5 E96:C F?:@? 2==:6D C6249 2 562= H:E9 E96 3FD:?6DD 4@>>F?:EJ[ H9:49 @AA@D6D E96 492?86]k^Am
kAm}@ DF49 562= 92D 366? C624965[ 2?5 @? %9FCD52J[ !@=:D H@F=5?’E D2J H92E 96 H@F=5 5@ :7 E96 3:== C624965 9:D 56D< H:E9@FE 2 3FD:?6DD\324<65 562= 369:?5 :E]k^Am
kAm“x C6>2:? @A6? E@ 2 D@=FE:@? E92E 3C:?8D H@C<6CD 2?5 3FD:?6DD6D E@ E96 E23=6 :? 2 H2J E92E’D DE23=6 7@C E96 DE2E6[” 96 D2:5] (96? AC6DD65[ !@=:D D2:5 E96 5632E6 H2D “23@FE E96 C:89E @7 H@C<6CD E@ 92G6 2 D2J @? H96E96C E96J’C6 7@C465 E@ A2J F?:@? 5F6D]”k^Am
kAmtG6? H:E9@FE r@=@C25@’D D64@?5 6=64E:@?[ F?:@?:K65 H@C<6CD DE:== H@F=5 G@E6 E@ 2446AE E96 4@?E6?ED @7 E96 4@?EC24ED E96J ?68@E:2E6[ :?4=F5:?8 E96 AC@G:D:@?D C6=2E65 E@ F?:@? 5F6D]k^Am
kAm!@=:D H2D @A6? 23@FE 9:D D2E:D724E:@? H:E9 E96 DE2E6 @7 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^=68]4@=@C25@]8@G^3:==D^D3ad\__bQm$6?2E6 q:== bk^2m[ H9:49 H@F=5 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]56?G6CA@DE]4@>^a_ad^_b^_a^4@=@C25@\8F?\4@?EC@=\2DD2F=E\H62A@?D\D6>:2FE@>2E:4\7:C62C>D\3:==\=68:D=2EFC6^QmAC@9:3:E E96 D2=6 @7 46CE2:? D6>:2FE@>2E:4 H62A@?Dk^2m F?=6DD 2 A6CD@? A2DD65 2 324<8C@F?5 4964< 2?5 C646:G65 EC2:?:?8]k^Am
kAm%96 3:== :?:E:2==J H@F=5’G6 32CC65 E96 D2=6 @7 2 H:56 DH2E9 @7 7:C62C>D 4@==@BF:2==J <?@H? 2D 2DD2F=E H62A@?D[ 3FE E96 EC2:?:?8 2?5 324<8C@F?5 4964< @AE:@? H2D :?D6CE65 2E !@=:D’ 3696DE] (:E9 E92E 492?86[ E96 3:== :D ?@H @? 2 A2E9 E@ A2DD286 :?E@ =2H]k^Am
kAm“x’> 4@?7:56?E E96 :>AC@G6>6?ED >256 E@ E96 3:== H:== … AC@E64E @FC $64@?5 p>6?5>6?E C:89ED 96C6 :? r@=@C25@ 2?5 :>AC@G6 E96 65F42E:@? 2?5 8F?\D276EJ <?@H=6586 @7 8F? @H?6CD[” !@=:D D2:5]k^Am
kAm—!@=:D C6:E6C2E6D “7C:6?5D9:A” H:E9 r2?252[ |6I:4@k^Am
kAm!@=:D 42==65 E96 ?6HD 4@?76C6?46 E@ 9:89=:89E E96 DE2E6’D “7C:6?5D9:A” H:E9 r2?252[ :? 5:C64E 4@?EC2DE E@ !C6D:56?E s@?2=5 %CF>A’D @?8@:?8 2?E28@?:D> 2?5 6D42=2E:?8 EC256 H2C H:E9 E96 4@F?ECJ]k^Am
kAm(:E9 r2?25:2? r@?DF= v6?6C2= $J=G2:? u23: 2E 9:D D:56[ !@=:D =:DE65 D@>6 @7 9:D 72G@C:E6 r2?25:2?D — :?4=F5:?8 r@=@C25@ pG2=2?496 DE2CD k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]56?G6CA@DE]4@>^a_ad^_b^_e^2G2=2?496\D92C<D\82>6\>2<2C\>24<:??@?\D4@C6\?642D\8@6C8:6G^Qmr2=6 |2<2Ck^2m 2?5 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]56?G6CA@DE]4@>^a_ad^_b^`_^?2E92?\>24<:??@?\`___\A@:?ED\2G2=2?496\D2<:4\DE2DE?J\4C@D3J\>452G:5^Qm}2E92? |4z:??@?k^2m — 2?5 C6:E6C2E65 E96 &?:E65 $E2E6D’ ?@CE96C? ?6:893@C :D “@?6 @7 @FC 4=@D6DE 2==:6D :? E96 H@C=5]” xE’D 2 G:E2= EC256 A2CE?6C 2?5 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]56?G6CA@DE]4@>^a_ad^_b^_d^ECF>A\E2C:77D\:>A24E\82D\8C@46C:6D^Qm%CF>A’D E2C:77Dk^2m H:== @?=J 9FCE E96 64@?@>:6D @7 3@E9 ?2E:@?D[ 2D H6== 2D r@=@C25@’D DA64:7:42==J[ !@=:D D2:5]k^Am
kAmw6 A=2?D E@ D:8? 2? @77:4:2= AC@4=2>2E:@? E@ E92E 67764E $2EFC52J[ 2D H6== 2D =:89E FA E96 r@=@C25@ r2A:E@= :? r2?25:2? C65 2?5 H9:E6]k^Am
kAm!@=:D 2=D@ A=2?D 2 D:>:=2C D9@H @7 7C:6?5D9:A H:E9 |6I:42? @77:4:2=D ?6IE >@?E9]k^Am
kAm©a_ad |65:2}6HD vC@FA[ x?4] ':D:E 2E k2 9C67lQ9EEAi^^HHH]56?G6CA@DE]4@>Qm56?G6CA@DE]4@>k^2m] s:DEC:3FE65 3J k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]EC:3F?64@?E6?E286?4J]4@>Qm%C:3F?6 r@?E6?E p86?4J[ {{r]k^2mk^Am
