President Donald Trump received praise from members of Utah’s GOP congressional delegation for his first address to a joint session of Congress.
His speech, the longest joint session address in U.S. history, touched on a range of topics, from the Russia-Ukraine war to his administration’s plans for taxes.
While the GOP — including Utah’s delegation — lauded Trump’s address, calling it the beginning of America’s “Golden Age,” the other side of the aisle didn’t feel the same. Congressional Democrats took to protesting during the speech, with some holding up signs and others yelling. One member, Rep. Al Green, D-Texas, was removed from the chamber less than 10 minutes after the president began speaking.
What did Utah Republicans say about the State of the Union?
Rep. Blake Moore, R-Utah, the vice chair of the Republican Conference, said he considered it an honor to attend the joint session. He was one of the Republican leaders who accompanied Trump into the chamber.
“(Trump) and his administration have swiftly responded to the call of Americans to secure our border, unleash domestic energy production, address rampant crime, tackle the difficult task to root out waste, fraud, and abuse in our government, and more,” he wrote in a post on X.
“There is much to do legislatively in the coming months to ensure a strong economy and defense, and I look forward to working with the Trump administration to accomplish this agenda.”
Rep. Burgess Owens, R-Utah, said the president “is leading the Great American Renewal.”
“Our border is secure, jobs and investments are returning home, and weak foreign policy is a thing of the past,” Owens said. “Families are thriving, common sense is winning, and the American Dream is back on track,” adding “the Trump administration is delivering every day.”
Rep. Celeste Maloy, R-Utah, posted a picture on X with Owens and Rep. Mike Kennedy, R-Utah, ahead of the address.
“This is how the Utah delegation rolls,” she said, noting the trio showed up early, found seats together and Maloy even wore a green jacket so that Utahns could spot her more easily.
She also revealed why she didn’t bring a guest to the joint address. It’s “because I gave my guest ticket to Rep. Pete Stauber (whose nephew plays for the Utah Hockey Club) so that he could bring these guys — Olympic gold medalists from the 1980 USA team that beat the Soviets in Lake Placid.”
Kennedy said Trump is the leader the U.S. “needs right now” and that he looked forward to working with the Trump White House.
Sen. Mike Lee also hailed it as the starting of America’s “Golden Age.” In one post, Lee criticized Democrats for not showing first lady Melania Trump the same respect Republicans gave former first lady Jill Biden.
“We stood for and applauded Jill Biden — even as her husband was severely abusing his presidential powers — because she was the First Lady,” but “sat silent for Melania Trump,” wrote Lee, adding, “not cool.”
In another post, he said he couldn’t be “more embarrassed for congressional Democrats than” he was on Tuesday night. “Standing & applauding for the widow of a slain officer & a child with brain cancer shouldn’t be hard.”
Sen. John Curtis: ‘It’s a bumpy road’
Sen. John Curtis also got candid in a video post on X, recorded from the basement of the Russell Senate Office building on the Hill.
He reassured the American people that the president is working to secure the southern border and bring down the cost of goods and services.
“What you’re spending at the grocery store, we know it is too much,” the Utah junior senator said. He noted the president’s ambitions for peace, supported by a majority of Americans.
“It’s a bumpy road,“ he said. But, he noted, that only a few weeks ago, “we were ready for hard things, and now ... everybody’s feeling the pain of those hard things and is questioning them.”
The Utah senator said that if Americans want better leadership, they have to start at the bottom instead of the top.
“Let’s face it, the real problem isn’t just in Washington, it’s in our homes, our communities and our priorities. If we want to impact the presidency, we need to take a hard look at our own culture, community and those around us,” Curtis said.
“If we want stronger leadership, we need stronger families — that starts at the dinner table.”
He described the last meal of the day as a “time to check in” with members of the community about the state of the government and the need for truth and integrity.
“We need to expect integrity from ourselves, our businesses, our schools and yes, even our entertainment. ... We have a lot of work to do in this country, and it’s not fair to only look to Washington to fix it. Yes, we have our responsibilities here. Yes, we can do better,” Curtis said. But he challenged those listening to “lift the bar” and “expect more” from their communities.