Politics
Trump nominates Billy Graham's granddaughter for religious freedom post
President Trump has nominated Cissie Graham Lynch, granddaughter of evangelist Billy Graham, as ambassador-at-large for international religious freedom, according to the Salt Lake Tribune. Lynch vowed to "protect our most precious and fundamental right — and one that far too many people around the world still live without — freedom of religion."
September 18, 2026 at 12:02 PM MT · via The Salt Lake Tribune
Senate confirms final two justices, completing Utah Supreme Court overhaul
The Utah Senate confirmed the final two nominees to the state Supreme Court, completing a Republican-driven transformation that has given Gov. Spencer Cox more appointments to the bench than any governor in Utah history. The court now sits at its expanded seven-member capacity.
September 17, 2026 at 8:03 AM MT · via The Salt Lake Tribune · 4 sources
Sen. John Curtis breaks with Trump, calls for AI regulations
Utah Sen. John Curtis is calling on congressional leaders to schedule swift hearings with artificial intelligence executives to inform potential regulatory solutions, according to KSL. The call breaks with President Trump's opposition to AI safety guardrails.
September 16, 2026 at 4:03 PM MT · via KSL · 2 sources
Utah Gov. Cox calls for AI whistleblower protections as Trump dismisses concerns
Utah Governor Spencer Cox has called on Congress to establish a national framework for artificial intelligence development, including whistleblower protections and mandatory safety reports, even as President Donald Trump dismisses AI concerns as a "HOAX," the Salt Lake Tribune reports.
September 16, 2026 at 9:02 AM MT · via The Salt Lake Tribune
Should LDS leaders speak out against sports betting?
Mormon Land podcast examines whether it's time for Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints leaders to take a public stance on sports betting as it becomes legal and widespread. McKay Coppins, a Latter-day Saint staff writer for The Atlantic, discusses his own experiment with gambling on games and what it revealed about addiction risks.
September 16, 2026 at 6:02 AM MT · via The Salt Lake Tribune
Two Latter-day Saints face off in Arizona governor's race
Two Latter-day Saint candidates are running against each other for Arizona governor, and both discussed how their faith shapes their politics in interviews with The Salt Lake Tribune.
September 14, 2026 at 7:02 AM MT · via The Salt Lake Tribune · 4 sources
Utah abortion politics intensifies as gender divides deepen over courts, representation
A brewing conflict over abortion, judicial appointments, and women's representation in Utah has exposed deepening gender divides in the state's politics, The New York Times reports. The tensions center on how the Republican supermajority legislature and conservative advocacy groups have responded to court rulings on abortion access.
September 13, 2026 at 3:27 AM MT · via The New York Times · 5 sources
Utah Valley University gets 'F' in free speech rankings after Kirk shooting
Utah Valley University received a failing grade in a national free speech ranking, with analysts citing the "chilling effect" that persists following the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk on campus, the Salt Lake Tribune reports. The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression downgraded the university significantly in its annual campus speech climate assessment.
September 12, 2026 at 12:02 AM MT · via The Salt Lake Tribune
Spencer Cox called a Democrat for help after Charlie Kirk's killing
Utah Governor Spencer Cox reveals in his new book that he called a Democratic colleague for advice in the hours after conservative activist Charlie Kirk's assassination, the Salt Lake Tribune reports. The disclosure appears in Cox's book *Off Ramp*, which examines his "disagree better" campaign and his role navigating the national crisis.
September 10, 2026 at 8:02 PM MT · via The Salt Lake Tribune · 2 sources
Turning Point navigates first year after Charlie Kirk assassination
Turning Point USA has spent the year since founder Charlie Kirk's assassination attempting to hold together a conservative movement fractured by his death, according to the Salt Lake Tribune's analysis.
September 10, 2026 at 9:02 AM MT · via The Salt Lake Tribune · 9 sources
Utah governor Spencer Cox appears on 'The Daily Show' with Jon Stewart
Utah Governor Spencer Cox appeared on Jon Stewart's "The Daily Show" to discuss his new book about civil discourse and disagreeing constructively in polarized times. Stewart pressed Cox on whether his calls for disagreeing better hold up when applied to specific controversial policies.
September 9, 2026 at 2:02 PM MT · via The Salt Lake Tribune
Utah Supreme Court justice recuses himself from abortion case after initial refusal
A Utah Supreme Court justice reversed his decision and recused himself from a major abortion case after initially refusing to step aside, the Salt Lake Tribune reports. The justice had faced questions about whether his religious affiliation should require recusal from the case challenging Utah's abortion trigger law.
September 9, 2026 at 7:03 AM MT · via The Salt Lake Tribune · 2 sources