By Kelsey Brugger
John Curtis, the new Utah senator who made his name in the House by pushing conservatives to acknowledge climate change, has a new target: President Donald Trump.
In fact, the soft-spoken 64-year-old was optimistic he might be able to get through to the man who just four months ago suggested climate change simply meant that the sea level might “rise one-eighth of an inch in 400 years, … and you’d have more seafront property.”
Curtis, who was selected to chair an Environment and Public Works subcommittee last week, thinks he could do with Trump what he did with more than the 80 House Republicans he corralled to his Conservative Climate Caucus, which he launched in 2021 with the goal of educating the GOP on climate policies in a space that embraces conservative, free market principles.
“We’re just not as far apart as he might think or as other people might think,” Curtis told POLITICO’s E&E News last month, a comment sure to raise eyebrows.
Curtis said that when he meets with Trump, he would extend a sense of compassion for his views. An aide to Curtis said later the two would meet “in due time but nothing on the books yet.”
“The first thing with President Trump is kind of to confirm where you are at — and [say], ‘By the way, that’s OK with me. Let me share some thoughts with you, let me share from my perspective of how Republicans feel,’” Curtis said.
“I would love to play that role with him,” Curtis said. “And I think we could have a great conversation.”
Never mind that Trump endorsed Curtis’ opponent in the Senate primary to replace former Sen. Mitt Romney. And never mind that Trump has already dismantled the White House climate website and signed dozens of energy actions that aim to halt rules to cut greenhouse gas emissions, kneecap wind power and increase fossil fuel production.
In a statement issued after the deluge of Day 1 executive orders, Curtis praised Trump’s early actions, apparently finding no contradiction between his goals of climate awareness and Trump’s bold plans to reverse greenhouse gas regulations and ramp up fossil fuel production.
“Our energy future will be affordable, reliable and clean,” Curtis said. “I’m pleased to see the President unlock our natural resources — unleashing our economic potential and bolstering our national security,” he said, adding that the “path to energy domination drives right through Utah” and promised to tackle permitting challenges and “build consensus.”
