WASHINGTON – The president vetoed measures that were seen as largely noncontroversial, with both easily passing the Senate before the Christmas holiday break. But in one case, the president made clear that the veto was related to opposition to his agenda.

The bill in question pertains to land use rights for a Native American tribe in South Florida. Specifically, the vetoed measure would incorporate the Miccosukee Tribe’s Osceola Camp residential village in Everglades National Park into the tribe’s legal Reserved Area of the park.

“Despite seeking funding and special treatment from the Federal Government, the Miccosukee Tribe has actively sought to obstruct reasonable immigration policies that the American people decisively voted for when I was elected,” Trump said in his veto message to Congress.

The tribe is among the litigants opposing the Trump administration’s efforts to operate a migrant detention facility known as “Alligator Alcatraz” adjacent to tribal land.

“My Administration is committed to preventing American taxpayers from funding projects for special interests, especially those that are unaligned with my Administration’s policy of removing violent criminal illegal aliens from the country,” the president told Congress in returning the bill. “Ending the massive cost of taxpayer handouts and restoring fiscal sanity is vital to economic growth and the fiscal health of the Nation.”

The bill passed the House by voice vote on July 14, with the Senate clearing the measure by unanimous consent on Dec. 11.

The connection between opposition to White House policies is not quite as transparent with the other bill vetoed Tuesday. That measure relates to financing of a water supply pipeline project in Colorado. Construction on the estimated $1.4 billion conduit began in April 2023.

The bill would modify the cost-sharing plan for the Arkansas Valley Conduit water pipeline project by extending from 50 to 75 years the local share repayment period and by reducing the interest rate for payments.

“H.R. 131 would continue the failed policies of the past by forcing Federal taxpayers to bear even more of the massive costs of a local water project — a local water project that, as initially conceived, was supposed to be paid for by the localities using it,” Trump said in his veto message.

Rep. Lauren Boebert, a Colorado Republican, shared a statement posted on X in which she said in part, “I sincerely hope this veto has nothing to do with political retribution for calling out corruption and demanding accountability.”

Boebert, who had been among the Republicans vocal in challenging the administration over releasing files related to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, was more measured in the official statement.

“It is very disappointing that President Trump vetoed my bipartisan bill that passed both the House and Senate unanimously. This action blocks completion of a critical water infrastructure project that would deliver clean drinking water to 50,000 people in Southeast Colorado,” she said. “This fight is not over.”

Colorado generally has been the subject of Trump’s ire recently, wanting to pardon former Mesa County Clerk Tina Peters, who was convicted in state court of charges related to 2020 election interference and the efforts to overturn Joe Biden’s victory that year.

In addition to this week’s veto, the Trump administration has moved ahead on relocating Space Command from Colorado to Alabama and intends to dismantle the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder.

The Colorado measure passed the House by voice vote July 21, and the Senate – also by voice vote – Dec. 16. The measures originated in the House, and will need to be considered for potential veto overrides. Two-thirds votes are required for the bills to become law over Trump’s objections.

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Allison Schoeppner and Karin Fuog contributed to this report.

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