Curtis says rubber stamping nominees ‘not the role of the Senate’ ahead of Hegseth meeting

SALT LAKE CITY – Utah Sen.-elect John Curtis is getting ready to take office in just a few weeks.

Before that even happens, Curtis is quickly gaining a national profile as a difference-making vote in approving or rejecting President-elect Donald Trump’s cabinet nominees.

This week, Curtis is set to meet with Defense Secretary nominee Pete Hegseth, who’s facing numerous allegations that Curtis called “serious.”

In an exclusive interview with KSL TV, Curtis talked about Hegseth, the doomed nomination of former Congressman Matt Gaetz for attorney general, how he’s approaching Trump’s nominees in general, and what he hopes to accomplish when he replaces Mitt Romney in the Senate.

President-elect Trump’s nominees

Curtis, 64, has quickly become a key player in the process of vetting President-elect Trump’s cabinet picks.

He attracted a lot of attention when multiple media outlets reported Curtis was one of several Republican senators who thwarted Gaetz’s nomination after Trump tapped him for attorney general.

“Matt Gaetz would not have been the right pick for President Trump,” Curtis said Friday during an interview in Roosevelt.

Curtis added he never met with Gaetz before he withdrew from consideration. But the nomination of his former House GOP colleague troubled him.

“I served with Matt,” Curtis said. “I think Matt’s hardest votes would have been from those that he served with.”

Curtis has met with other nominees, including Elise Stefanik, who was picked to become the United States ambassador to the United Nations. Curtis also met last week with Trump’s pick for FBI director, Kash Patel.

This week, Curtis is scheduled to meet with former Fox host Pete Hegseth, who has been chosen to run the Department of Defense.

That, Curtis said, “is going to be a very interesting meeting.”

Curtis acknowledged having concerns about Hegseth, who’s accused of sexual assault, heavy drinking, and financial mismanagement, among other things.

“They’re serious,” Curtis said of the allegations. “And so I will be asking him about those specifically.”

Besides Hegseth, other Trump nominees have also attracted extra scrutiny like Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. for Health and Human Services, and Tulsi Gabbard for director of National Intelligence.

Asked if he has made up his mind on how he plans to vote on those nominees, Curtis said no.

“I think it’s very important not to,” he said. “And the reason why is there’s a process that’s unfolding.”

But on social media, Curtis has been bombarded with comments telling him to get behind the President-elect and support his cabinet picks. If he doesn’t, one X user told Curtis, he’s “not representing Utah.”

Curtis flatly disagrees with that.

“That’s not the role of the Senate,” he said. “By the way, it’s not the constitutional role. These are the same people who would tell me you need to follow the Constitution.”

Ultimately, Curtis said he believes the nomination process helps the President-elect.

“I’m here to help him get the best people,” Curtis said. “And if there’s anything he missed in his process, we want to pick it up.”

Working with the new president

Curtis, who was once a Democrat before becoming a Republican and serving as Provo mayor, has spent seven years in Congress. He was first elected in 2017 to replace Jason Chaffetz representing the third district.

Some of his tenure overlapped with Trump’s first term, and Curtis noted he voted with Trump more than 90% of the time.

But Curtis said that doesn’t mean he’s going to be a rubber stamp for the president.

“It’s not really the healthiest thing to do whatever he wants. We need to do what’s ever best for the country,” Curtis said. “I think people will find me engaged in supporting President Trump. When he’s doing what’s best for Utah and the country, I’m wind at his back. And there will be those times from time to time where I might say, look, I’m just going to disagree with you on this.”

Curtis said he believes he has a “very healthy relationship” with Trump, who will be inaugurated January 20.

Still, Curtis is often viewed skeptically by Trump’s more steadfast supporters. His counterpart in the Senate from Utah will be Sen. Mike Lee, who transformed himself from vocal Trump critic to ardent supporter.

Asked if he can win over the more Trumpian wing of the party, Curtis smiled.

“I would point back to the Republican election where I won near 50% in a four-way primary,” Curtis said. “I feel like that’s what I have to continue to be. I have to continue to be the John Curtis that they voted on, and I think Utah likes that.”

Outreach to Utahns

During his time in Congress, Curtis said he’s enjoyed traveling throughout the state to meet with Utahns and listen to their concerns.

At the end of last week, Curtis found himself with a rare free day away from Washington D.C. He and some staffers traveled to Duchesne and Uintah counties where he visited local leaders, talked with the media, and met with constituents.

Curtis said he plans to continue that as the next U.S. senator from Utah.

“I think that’s how I stay connected with people,” he said.

Once he’s in the Senate, Curtis said he plans to focus on reforming the process by which energy projects are approved. He also wants to quickly visit all of Utah’s 29 counties once he’s sworn in.

“It’s really important to me that they feel like their issues are my issues, and that my voice can actually lift their voice, and that together we can make Washington D.C. what we and our kids need it to be,” he said.

Curtis will take office January 3.