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Utah’s incoming senator John Curtis is positioning himself as an independent voice in the Senate, echoing the approach of his predecessor Mitt Romney by signaling he won’t automatically align with President-elect Donald Trump’s agenda.
Speaking on ABC News’ “This Week,” Curtis emphasized his commitment to Trump’s success while maintaining his autonomy. “It’s very important to me that President Trump is successful. I want to see him wildly successful, and I’ll be supportive of him when he’s talking about inflation and the economy and everything like that,” Curtis stated. “But that doesn’t mean there won’t be moments when I disagree with him.”
Utah Senator-elect John Curtis downplays Trump’s historic mandate, saying “I got more votes than him in Utah. Does that give me a mandate?”
This is the same guy who refused to support Matt Gaetz.
Mitt Romney’s replacement isn’t looking much better. pic.twitter.com/f1Y8yD5WET
— johnny maga (@_johnnymaga) December 22, 2024
The 64-year-old Republican senator-elect has already demonstrated his independence by expressing reservations about several of Trump’s cabinet nominations, including Matt Gaetz for attorney general and Pete Hegseth for Defense Secretary. When questioned about his concerns regarding Hegseth, Curtis remained firm, stating, “No. … They remain unresolved.”
Curtis has also demanded assurances from FBI Director nominee Kash Patel regarding the bureau’s political neutrality. Describing himself as a “normal” Republican rather than a MAGA supporter, Curtis secured the GOP nomination by defeating Trump-backed candidate Trent Staggs.
I support Pres. Trump when he's dealing with some of these really tough issues that we have: the economy, the conflicts overseas. But I do have my own mind, and I'm not a rubber stamp. My stamp is the seal of the Great State of Utah.
Watch part of my interview w/ @jonkarl on… pic.twitter.com/uv90kSaf0C
— John Curtis (@CurtisUT) December 22, 2024
The senator-elect praised Romney’s independent stance and identified government spending as a key area of potential disagreement with Trump. “We have to do far more to rein in our spending. And that is a big deal in Utah. That’s what my constituents expect me to do,” Curtis explained.
Romney recently demonstrated this independent streak by opposing the latest government shutdown prevention deal, describing his vote as a protest against “the absurd way this is to run government.”
With Republicans anticipated to hold a 53-47 Senate majority, Trump hopes to navigate his administrative appointments through the chamber despite potential resistance from independent-minded senators like Curtis.
