U.S. Senator John Curtis (R-UT) shared the following remarks after attending President Trump’s 2026 State of the Union address:
The full transcript of the video is below.
I just finished listening to the President’s State of the Union Address. Of course there were some political jabs, but he did a great job, and I wanted to highlight a few of my top takeaways with you.
The President took a lot of time to honor our military veterans and highlight their heroic stories and inspiring sacrifices. These were special moments to come together as a grateful nation to remember our heroes. I was honored to share the room with them.
One of the most important moments of tonight was when President Trump denounced political violence. I will always applaud calls for civility in our fractured political climate, and it was good of him to honor the fallen Charlie Kirk and recognize Erika Kirk in the gallery.
I have to say, welcoming the Team USA Men’s Hockey Team into the chamber with bipartisan applause was a top highlight for me. I love that President Trump will present goalie Connor Hellebuyck with the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
On Saving the Great Salt Lake:
Although it wasn’t mentioned in his speech tonight, I’m grateful and excited that President Trump has recently pledged to “Make the Great Salt Lake Great Again.”
The drying lake is, as you know, one of the greatest challenges we face in Utah. Having the President’s commitment to providing funding for state-driven proposals to save the Great Salt Lake is an exciting development and opens the door to resources that could help the lake survive and keep our communities healthy and safe.
On Tax Relief for Utah Families:
The President is putting the economy front and center. I know Utahns are feeling the pressures from a rising cost of living. Prices were unfortunately made permanently high by the reckless policy decisions of the previous Administration, but with inflation now at its lowest level in five years, wages up, taxes down, and a pro-business regulatory environment, families will see the stability and price certainty they deserve.
Furthermore, the policies in our Big Beautiful Bill will continue to put more money back into the pockets of American families through policies like the expanded child tax credit; a higher standard deduction; and permanent, lower taxes for Utah’s nearly 250,000 small businesses.
On American Energy Dominance:
We often treat energy as just one of many vertical issues—like healthcare or education. That is a mistake. Energy is the horizontal issue that cuts across the challenges that are top of mind for the country, including inflation.
When energy prices go up, the price of everything goes up—from the food on our tables to the materials we use to build our homes. Which is why I was grateful to hear President Trump tout efforts to expand domestic energy production by approving permit applications, reviving nuclear energy, and redirecting resources toward practical, consumer-driven energy solutions.
An-all-of-the-above approach like this will help us meet the enormous energy demands of the 21st century and ensure our energy future is affordable, reliable, and clean.
On American Border Security:
Border security is national security. One of the President’s and Republicans’ greatest achievements has been securing the border. Illegal border crossings have plummeted to their lowest level since the 1970s. In fact, The U.S. achieved negative net migration in 2025. These efforts are helping keep our communities safe by halting the flow of fentanyl trafficking at the southern border.
To Conclude:
Overall, this was a good night for our nation. We heard from the President, policy and practical solutions to move our country forward. I am proud to represent you here in the Senate, and I hope to see you all in Utah soon.
