Fresh off his election to replace Senator Mitt Romney, Utah’s Senator-elect John Curtis is already facing backlash from staunch conservatives after remarks downplaying former President Donald Trump’s mandate.
In an interview with ABC News’ Jonathan Karl, Curtis emphasized his independence, stating he will not serve as a “rubber stamp” for Trump’s agenda, sparking a fiery reaction from MAGA loyalists.
Curtis’s remarks echo the tone of Romney, who was frequently criticized for opposing Trump’s policies and rhetoric. While Curtis praised Romney’s “independence,” many conservatives feel this brand of “authenticity” has been more divisive than unifying within the party.
Jonathan Karl:
So I noticed you were on the Senate floor when Mitt Romney gave his farewell address. I’m not going to ask you, are you the next Mitt Romney in the Senate? But what’s your sense of his legacy?John Curtis:
Well, listen, Mitt Romney, no matter what you say about him, everybody says he’s true to who he is. That’s such a great attribute. I wish we could say that about all of us. If they say that about me when I’m done, I’ll be very happy.Jonathan Karl:
He had this independence, and obviously, he was willing to stand up against his own party’s leadership. Is that something you see yourself doing?John Curtis:
It’s very important to me that President Trump is successful. I want to see him wildly successful. I’ll be supportive of him when he’s talking about inflation and the economy and everything like that. But that doesn’t mean there won’t be moments when I disagree with him. I think it’s very important to me and my constituents that at those moments that I feel comfortable speaking up.
Curtis boasted about winning his Senate seat without Trump’s endorsement, a not-so-subtle jab at the former president’s influence.
Curtis claimed his intention is to advocate for Utah’s values while maintaining his independence from Trump’s influence.
Jonathan Karl:
Now, you ran for the Senate, and Trump endorsed one of your opponents. That’s correct. Actually did a campaign. I mean, it really got into it for one of your opponents, and you still won.John Curtis:
So I’ll just brag for a minute. I won in a four-way primary with almost 50% as the non-Trump-endorsed candidate.Jonathan Karl:
How did you do that? He’s the king of the Republican Party. His endorsement matters more than any other endorsement in a Republican primary…John Curtis:
As I mentioned before, look, I support President Trump when he’s dealing with some of these really tough issues that we have, the economy and the conflicts overseas. But I do have my own mind, and I’m not a rubber stamp.My stamp is the stamp of the state of Utah, and I represent those people. I think people responded to that in the election. They’re dying for authenticity and just tell us who you really are and then be that person. I think that’s why we did so well.
When questioned about the notion that Trump’s victory entitles him to unchallenged support from the GOP, Curtis gave an arrogant answer.
Jonathan Karl:
You do hear some of your colleagues, your future colleagues in the Senate, that say, “He won, he’s got a mandate, he deserves everybody that he’s chosen.” In other words, rubber stamp.John Curtis:
Yeah, I heard that from my son, by the way, at Thanksgiving.Jonathan Karl:
He said that?John Curtis:
He did. He said, “Dad, I’m a self-described… I took the red pill.” So he set that up. My response to him was a couple of things. One, in a joking way, I said, “I did get more votes than him in Utah. Does that give me a mandate?” But let me come back to this concept: I think me speaking my mind and me being upfront makes the President a better President.Right now, I’m interviewing these nominees. I think people forget the advice part of advice and consent. I can’t advise the President if I haven’t thoroughly talked to these people, if I haven’t investigated everything about them, if I haven’t learned their strengths and their weaknesses. I think I owe that to the President. I think the better job I do, the better President he will be.
Curtis’s refusal to rubber-stamp Trump’s nominees, including Pete Hegseth and Kash Patel, signals a willingness to obstruct rather than assist the administration.
“Anybody who wants to give me heat for doing my job, bring it on,” Curtis defiantly declared, shrugging off criticism from Trump supporters.
Curtis made it clear that he sees himself as a necessary counterweight to former President Donald Trump, declaring that his disagreements with Trump would somehow benefit the 47th President.
“I want him to be wildly successful. I’m going to be win at his back on things like inflation. I want him to bring peace around the world. I want to deal with the border situation, and I’m really there for him. I want to be helpful. Mr. President, from time to time, I’m going to disagree with you, and it will be respectful. I think when I disagree with you, it will be helpful, and I hope you’ll listen to me,” he said.
Watch the full interview below:
According to campaign finance records, Republican Rep. John Curtis of Utah has received thousands of dollars in donations from the green energy industry for his congressional bids, according to the Daily Caller.
Curtis launched a campaign for Senate on Jan. 2 after previously ruling it out shortly after Romney announced he would not seek another term in the upper chamber, adding to the primary already chock-full of prominent Republicans.
The congressman, who has split from many on the right about climate change, brought in thousands from green energy organizations and companies’ affiliated political action committees (PACs) during his four House bids, Federal Election Commission (FEC) filings show.
Read more:
John Curtis Has History Of Raking In Thousands From Green Energy Donors
The post Mitt Romney’s Replacement, Rep. John Curtis Declares He Won’t Be Trump’s ‘Rubber Stamp: ‘Mr. President, from Time to Time, I’m Going to Disagree With You’ appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.