President Biden to arrive in Utah on Wednesday afternoon
Aug 8, 2023, 9:30 PM | Updated: Aug 9, 2023, 12:05 pm
President Joe Biden arrives on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, Monday, Aug. 7, 2023, after spending the weekend in Wilmington, Del. President Biden will arrive in Utah on Wednesday and will deliever a speech on Thursday. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
(AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
A former Obama aid shares the behind the scenes of a presidential trip. Today at 1:05 p.m. on Inside Sources.
SALT LAKE CITY — President Joe Biden will arrive in Utah on Wednesday afternoon. It’s Biden’s first trip to The Beehive State since 2016 when he was vice president.
On Thursday, the president will speak at the George E. Wahlen Department of Veteran Affairs Medical Center in Salt Lake City. His remarks will center around the one-year anniversary of the PACT Act. The Act provides the most significant expansion of benefits and services to toxic-exposed veterans and survivors in more than 30 years.
The stop in Utah is the final stop of a three-state tour for President Biden. Earlier this week, he made stops in Arizona and New Mexico.
During President Biden’s stop in Arizona on Tuesday, he designated a new national monument near the Grand Canyon.
Former President Donald Trump came to the state in 2017. Former President Barack Obama visited the state back in 2015. First Lady Jill Biden made a brief stop in Salt Lake City in 2021.
Perspective on President Biden coming to Utah
KSL NewsRadio’s Boyd Matheson offers some insight on the president’s visit to Utah.
“I applaud the president,” he said. “Because I think the real test of leaders is to go into places, you’re not necessarily welcome. Anybody can go where you’re gonna have roaring, raging fans in your behalf.”
Matheson says the president has a real opportunity to have success in his stop in Utah.
“I think President Biden could do much more here in the state,” he said.
He says it all depends on how cautious the president’s staff is because of Utah being a “red state.”
Matheson thinks it would be a big mistake by the president to not meet with Utah Gov. Spencer Cox, regarding the state’s land, water and climate issues.
He also thinks a meeting with Rep. John Curtis and what he is doing with the conservative climate caucus would be a wise move by the president.
Matheson is unsure if the president will meet with leadership from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He refers back to how cautious his staff wants to be on this trip.
Read more: President Biden will be in Utah next week. What’s his message?
