In a video from a recent forum in Colorado, Democrat Manny Rutinel was asked whether President Trump deserves credit for the significant drop in illegal border crossings. Rutinel replied “No,” and when pressed on who deserves credit, he said, “This is something I need to explore further.” The exchange has sparked widespread online backlash, with users reacting sharply to his response.
The footage, captured during the 9News-hosted debate in Colorado’s 8th Congressional District and shared on X, shows a moderator addressing Rutinel, a state representative and Democratic primary candidate, on stage.
Rutinel gives a brief negative reply and indicates that further review is needed to determine responsibility for recent border developments. The excerpt focuses only on this exchange and does not include other candidates, surrounding discussion, or any data presented at the event.
Online Backlash Over the Colorado Debate Moment
Many viewers expressed frustration with Rutinel’s answers and pointed to public government data showing lower border encounters in recent months. One commenter wrote, “@MannyRutinel How the [expletive] are you this stupid? Border encounters at historic lows… Stop ‘exploring’ and open your eyes.”
Another stated, “So what he ‘explored’ enough to definitively conclude it wasn’t Trump but didn’t explore who or what caused the significant drop? IS HE *Expletive* OR STUPID? It’s one or the other.”
Some users focused on what they described as a denial of the numbers. One comment read, “What a chump. These people completely DENY the proof & the truth that they can see with their own two eyes….Why? Because it’s President Trump who continues to FIX what they broke!”
Another said, “Holy [expletive] lol all you could do is [expletive] laugh at this point… if you ask a [expletive] democrat if the sky is blue. Their response is gonna be ‘I need to gather more information about it.’” A few commenters shifted focus to broader accountability, with one asking whether Biden administration officials should be held responsible for certain outcomes at the border.
The clip continues to circulate online as the Democratic primary race for Colorado’s 8th Congressional District unfolds. It adds another moment to the broader national conversation over credit for recent changes in border crossings.
