Trump pulls endorsement of Colorado Republican over tariff votes

Jeff Hurd, a first-term congressman sided with Democrats to pass legislation on February12 aimed at ending the White House’s duties on Canada

President Donald Trump withdrew his endorsement of US Representative Jeff Hurd for reelection after the Colorado Republican voted against the president’s tariffs.

“Congressman Hurd is one of a small number of Legislators who have let me and our Country down. He is more interested in protecting Foreign Countries that have been ripping us off for decades than he is the United States of America,” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post Saturday, saying that it was “a difficult decision” for him.

Trump is instead endorsing Hope Scheppelman, a critical care nurse and Navy veteran who previously served as vice chair of the state Republican Party. Scheppelman “knows the America First Policies required, and will do everything necessary to Defend our Country, Support our Military/Veterans, and Ensure PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH,” Trump wrote.

Hurd, a first-term congressman sided with Democrats to pass legislation on Feb. 12 aimed at ending the White House’s duties on Canada. Republicans Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania, Thomas Massie of Kentucky, Don Bacon of Nebraska, Kevin Kiley of California and Dan Newhouse of Washington state also voted to end the Canadian tariffs.

“If we normalize broad emergency trade powers today, we should expect that a future president — of either party — will rely on the same authority in ways many of us would strongly oppose,” Hurd wrote in a statement after his vote. “My responsibility is to defend the separation of powers regardless of political convenience.”

Since the vote against tariffs, the Supreme Court has ruled that Trump’s use of emergency powers to impose levies around the world was unconstitutional and required Congress’s approval.