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Letter: Sen. Curtis: Why are your purported commitments at odds with your support of Trump’s actions and policies?

(Bethany Baker  |  The Salt Lake Tribune) U.S. Senator John Curtis speaks with state delegate Brad Haymond during the State Organizing Convention for the Utah Republican Party at Utah Valley University in Orem on Saturday, May 17, 2025.

(Bethany Baker | The Salt Lake Tribune) U.S. Senator John Curtis speaks with state delegate Brad Haymond during the State Organizing Convention for the Utah Republican Party at Utah Valley University in Orem on Saturday, May 17, 2025.

Sen. Curtis:

I appreciate your June 25 response to my email regarding national security. With all due respect, your response sounded like you are committed to upholding our democracy, but some statements seem incongruent with current reality. Here are examples:

“America’s strength abroad and its security at home are deeply rooted in our commitment to honoring our promises to our allies.” You continue to follow the lead of a president who has insulted many of our allies, causing those allies to question whether they can trust the current administration.

“Like President Reagan, I believe our nation can — and should — be an advocate for those fighting for democracy.” You continue to follow the lead of a president who appears to have abandoned Ukraine and indeed is on record blaming Ukraine as the aggressor when it is Russia who invaded Ukraine.

“History demonstrates that America thrives when we lead responsibly on the global stage, honoring our word and fostering strategic alliances. I am committed to policies that strengthen our nation’s security, uphold our shared values, and protect the principles upon which America was built. Together, we can achieve lasting solutions that ensure prosperity, freedom, and security for Utahns and all Americans.” Yet you continue to follow the lead of a president who has destroyed alliances, said he would make Canada the 51st state (against their wishes), considers it OK to use military force to forcibly take over Greenland, empowered DOGE to slash and burn its way through agencies of the federal government, empowered ICE to indiscriminately round up, imprison and deport people without due process, and who wants to push through his Big Ugly Bill that is designed to make life much harder for lower income Americans (loss or decrease of health care and SNAP benefits for example) while increasing the wealth of corporations and higher income Americans and dramatically raising the national debt. Is this your idea of shared values and principles? Not my values, and I suspect many Americans would agree with that.

In my view your response is made up primarily of Republican talking points, thus it is just more gaslighting.

Please honor your oath of office, which requires your loyalty to the constitution, not to the current administration or to the Republican party.

Vicky Hall, Salt Lake City

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