Utah and National Updates

Elections, Politics, & Government

SNAP EBT information sign is displayed at a gas station in Riverwoods, Ill., Saturday, Nov. 1, 2025...
Geoff Mulvihill and Darlene Superville, Associated Press

Trump administration says it will withhold SNAP from Democrat-led states if they don’t provide data

The Trump administration says it will withhold SNAP food aid from recipients in most Democratic-controlled states starting next week unless they provide data about those receiving the assistance.
9 months ago
parking...
Carter Williams, KSL.com

Why Utah plans to discontinue public parking at Salt Lake courthouse in 2026

Public parking at the Scott M. Matheson Courthouse's garage will no longer be available beginning in 2026.
9 months ago
Lt. Gov. Deidre Henderson talks about her friend Mia Love, who died at her Saratoga Springs home of...
Bridger Beal-Cvetko, KSL.com

‘You belong in the room’: Late Rep. Mia Love honored with Martha Hughes Cannon award

Lt. Gov. Deidre Henderson praised Love's trailblazing career and public service dedication.
9 months ago
State Sen. Nate Blouin, D-Salt Lake City, kicks off his campaign for Congress at the Fabian Lakesid...
Cami Mondeaux, Deseret News

Bernie Sanders endorses progressive Nate Blouin in race for Utah’s new blue House seat

Sanders threw his support behind Blouin, who has positioned himself as a progressive candidate similar to the Vermont senator
9 months ago
asylum...
Cedar Attanasio, Collin Biknley, and Ben Finley

US halts all asylum decisions after shooting of National Guard members

The Trump administration has halted all asylum decisions and paused issuing visas for people traveling on Afghan passports. The moves comes after one National Guard member was killed and a second was critically wounded in a shooting Wednesday near the White House.
9 months ago
Gov. Spencer Cox responds to a reporter’s question during the PBS Utah Governor’s Monthly News ...
Brigham Tomco, Deseret News

‘From moderate to Mamdani-land’: Gov. Cox says Utah redistricting ruling created ‘extreme’ congressional districts

Cox says former Democratic Rep. Ben McAdams changed his messaging because of ‘political incentives’
9 months ago
Multiple people who had been allegedly plotting a violent attack over the Halloween weekend were ar...
Joey Cappelletti and Mike Householder, Associated Press

FBI seeks interviews with Democratic lawmakers who urged US troops to defy illegal orders

Michigan Sen. Elissa Slotkin told reporters Tuesday that Trump “is attempting to use the FBI to scare us.”
9 months ago
Rep. Sandra Hollins, the first Black woman to serve in the Utah Legislature, announced she will not...
Bridger Beal-Cvetko, KSL.com and Daniel Woodruff, KSL TV

Why Utah’s first Black woman in the Legislature isn’t running for reelection

Hollins represents District 21 in Salt Lake City, and has served as a Utah lawmaker since 2015.
9 months ago
Utah Senate President J. Stuart Adams, R-Layton, left, and House Speaker Mike Schultz, R-Hooper, sp...
Bridger Beal-Cvetko, KSL.com and Daniel Woodruff, KSL TV

Utah GOP lawmakers outline their next steps for fighting judge’s redistricting ruling

The Utah Senate and House of Representatives gathered to announce its official plans to appeal a new congressional map, selected by a judge's ruling.
9 months ago
FILE - The Associated Press logo is displayed at the news organization's world headquarters in New ...
David Bauder, AP Media Writer

AP and Trump administration argue access case before federal appeals court; no ruling yet

Trump restricted the AP’s access to events in smaller spaces like the Oval Office and Air Force One, leading the news outlet to sue.
9 months ago
FILE - Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., speaks during the Senate Armed Services Committee confirmation hea...
Associated Press

Pentagon says it’s investigating Sen. Mark Kelly after video urging troops to defy ‘illegal orders’

Kelly served in the US Navy as a fighter pilot before going on to become an astronaut. He retired at the rank of Captain.
9 months ago
President Donald Trump and New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani after their meeting in the Oval...
Associated Press

Mamdani stands by Trump criticism despite friendly White House meeting

New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani didn't back down in an interview that aired Sunday from past criticism of President Donald Trump.
9 months ago
State Sen. Nate Blouin, D-Salt Lake City, takes a moment after delivering a speech during a Fightin...
Cami Mondeaux, Deseret News

Nate Blouin jumps into the race for new Democratic seat — and wants to send a Utah progressive to Congress

State Sen. Nate Blouin views the safe blue seat as an opportunity for Utah to do something it hasn’t ever done before: send a left-leaning progressive to the halls of Congress.
9 months ago
Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, speaks during the Utah Republican Party’s state organizing convention held...
Tim Vandenack, KSL.com

Lee proposes change to keep immigrant suspects ‘from fleeing and failing to appear for trial’

Utah Sen. Mike Lee has introduced legislation meant to prevent certain immigrants suspected of federal crimes from fleeing the country before they can be tried.
9 months ago
Epstein...
Joey Cappelletti & Stephen Groves, Associated Press

Republicans hyped the Epstein files for years. Now Trump is under pressure to deliver

The Justice Department is on the clock to release files relating to Jeffrey Epstein after President Donald Trump signed a measure passed by Congress.
9 months ago
FILE: gathering signatures March 11, 2024. (Kristin Murphy, Deseret News) Prop 4...
Heather Peterson

Signature gatherers looking to repeal Prop. 4 are accused of deception

Signature-gatherers are looking for support to repeal Prop. 4, Utah's congressional maps law. Proponents of Prop 4. are questioning the tactics of the signature-gatherers.
9 months ago
Former state Sen. Derek Kitchen, a Democrat, will run for the 1st District U.S. House seat, joining...
Tim Vandenack, KSL.com

Former state Sen. Derek Kitchen joins race for 1st District U.S. House seat

Former state Sen. Derek Kitchen, a Democrat, will run for the 1st District U.S. House seat, joining at least two other Democrats vying for the post.
9 months ago
A Vineyard City Council seat is up for grabs after a councilwoman announced her resignation Wednesd...
Curtis Booker, KSL.com

Vineyard councilwoman resigns after new election, citing ‘performance politics’ climate

A Vineyard city councilwoman decided to step down from her role, just weeks after the 2025 municipal general election.
9 months ago
New York City mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani talks to reporters at a news conference in New York, Monda...
Meg Kinnard, Associated Press

Trump says he and Mamdani will meet Friday in Washington, setting up clash of political opposites

The sit-down could possibly represent a detente of sorts between the Republican president and Democratic rising star, as Trump has since Mamdani's win moved toward acceptance of Mamdani's central, winning campaign issue of affordability.
9 months ago
A truck at Unified Fire Station 106 in Millcreek is pictured on Thursday, Nov. 9, 2017....
Daniel Woodruff, KSL TV

Utah lawmakers approve bill after ‘egregious’ Supreme Court ruling on first responders

Utah lawmakers delivered a bipartisan rebuke of the state Supreme Court on Wednesday by approving a bill in response to a recent ruling on first responders.
9 months ago
FILE - President Donald Trump speaks during an event, July 8, 2022, in Las Vegas....
Seung Min Kim, Associated Press

Trump signs bill to release Jeffrey Epstein case files after fighting it for months

President Donald Trump signed legislation Wednesday that compels his administration to release files on convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, bowing to political pressure from his own party after initially resisting those efforts.
9 months ago
Arian Pedraza, with Landslide Political, holds a clipboard with the referendum petition during a si...
Adam Small, KSL NewsRadio, and Daniel Woodruff, KSL TV

Utah lawmakers vote down eventual paper signature-gathering ban — for now

The goal of the bill is to signal that the state is shifting to a future of electronic signature gathering.
9 months ago
FILE - An American Airlines aircraft takes off from Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport...
Josh Funk and Rio Yamat, AP Transportation and Airlines Writers

Bipartisan bill aims to pay air traffic controllers during future shutdowns

The bill proposes funding salaries, operating expenses and other Federal Aviation Administration programs by tapping into a little-used flight insurance fund that was created after the Sept. 11 attacks and currently has $2.6 billion dollars sitting in it.
9 months ago
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., speaks during a news conference on the Epstein Files Transparen...
Stephen Groves, Associated Press

Congress acts swiftly to force release of Epstein files, sending bill to Trump

The House and Senate voted to force release of Epstein files, sending bill once opposed by Trump to the Senate.
9 months ago