Overview

• Reps. Celeste Maloy and Mike Kennedy held a town hall in Salt Lake City, defying GOP leadership's advice to avoid public forums due to recent protests.
• Maloy expressed bipartisan concerns about the U.S. drifting toward authoritarianism but clarified her worries were not specific to President Trump.
• The lawmakers faced vocal criticism over federal budget cuts, including reductions to National Park Service staff and mass layoffs of probationary federal employees.
• Both representatives opposed some of the Trump administration's cuts but emphasized the need for difficult financial decisions to address the nation’s economic challenges.
• Maloy and Kennedy called for civil discourse, positioning Utah as a potential model for engaging on contentious issues despite the event's tense atmosphere.