Utah Representative comes down hard on Trump

Rep. Celeste Maloy (R-UT) has never really been a fan of Trump, but she has been keeping her mouth quiet thus far.

That changed this week, as Maloy came out swinging, with Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) making sure everyone knows he warned us about her.

Lee Backs Maloy Challenger

Before the 2024 election, Lee made the move to back a primary challenger to Rep. Maloy.

Lee backed Colby Jenkins, stating, "Too many Republicans in Congress have voted to expand the size, scope and cost of the federal government, in many cases deferring to congressional GOP leaders bent on advancing the Democrats' agenda.

“Now more than ever we need bold conservatives in Congress.

"We need Colby Jenkins. His commitment to the Constitution, fiscal responsibility, limited government, and individual liberty make him the best candidate to represent Utah's values in Washington."

What Happened?

When Lee backed the rare move of challenging an incumbent within the party, everyone wondered where this rift had originated. Maloy made it clear that the problem was that Lee expected her to blindly support the GOP agenda, and she did not agree.

Maloy stated, “Representing you is a sacred privilege. And I don’t take it for granted. That’s why I refuse to be a rubber stamp.

“I will not bow down to anyone. I’m not going to bow down to the party, to leadership, to the media, or to a senator.”

I have always stated that I have no problem if any elected official goes against the party to support their constituents, but Trump handily won Utah in 2024, so that should have let Maloy know the state overwhelmingly supports his agenda, which she has not done.

Attacking Trump

To my point above, Maloy went after the Trump administration pretty good this week, saying that Trump needs to be brought “under control.”

The firebrand stated, “Do I think America is drifting towards authoritarianism? No. I have only hope and optimism about the direction our country is headed. Do I think the executive branch is too powerful? Absolutely. It’s been growing for decades.

“We need smaller federal agencies and we have a unique opportunity to do something about it. The president is doing the tough work of trimming back the executive branch.”

On its surface, that is not too bad, but go back and look at how she wants to dial back the authority of the executive branch while Trump is clearly trying to expand presidential powers. The GOP better be careful with this one because she is clearly looking to block Trump if she thinks he is getting out of line.