In a post on Truth Social the president assailed an “activist judiciary” that wants to take away the GOP’s advantage.
President Donald Trump speaks as he signs executive orders in the Oval Office of the White House, Monday, Aug. 25, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
President Donald Trump weighed in Wednesday on a Utah court ruling that discarded the state’s congressional boundaries, trashing it as “absolutely Unconstitutional.”
“How did such a wonderful Republican State like Utah, which I won in every Election, end up with so many Radical Left Judges?” the president posted on his Truth Social network. “All Citizens of Utah should be outraged at their activist Judiciary, which wants to take away our Congressional advantage, and will do everything possible to do so.”
On Monday, state district Judge Dianna Gibson ruled that the voter-approved Proposition 4, which sought to create an independent redistricting commission and ban partisan gerrymandering, was unconstitutionally repealed by the Legislature and that the boundaries lawmakers approved — which created four safe Republican U.S. House seats — should be discarded because they did not meet the standards enacted by voters.
Gibson prohibited the Legislature’s maps from being used in the 2026 election and gave lawmakers until Sept. 24 to draw new congressional boundaries.
The ruling came at a politically charged juncture, as Trump has pushed Texas lawmakers to redraw their U.S. House boundaries to create additional safe seats for Republicans in an effort to preserve the GOP’s House majority. Legislators in Democrat-led California have retaliated with a gerrymandering effort of their own in a bid to offset the potential Texas gains. Other states are also exploring mid-decade redistricting options.
Utah’s independent redistricting commission, created under Proposition 4, produced maps that would create one seat that a Democrat would have a chance at winning. Trump was not pleased with that prospect.
“This incredible State sent four great Republicans to Congress, and we want to keep it that way,” the president posted. “The Utah GOP has to STAY UNITED and make sure their four terrific Republican Congressmen stay right where they are!”
One of Utah’s House members, Rep. Celeste Maloy, is a congresswoman.
Sharing a screenshot of Trump’s comments, Sen. Mike Lee wrote on X, “Trump’s right — they’re trying to disregard the law and the Constitution to turn Utah blue.“
Utah’s senior U.S. senator continued, “We can’t let that happen. Legislative districts are supposed to be drawn by state legislatures, not unelected ‘independent commissions’ designed to give Democrats an edge. Who’s with me?”
Gibson was nominated by Republican Gov. Gary Herbert in October 2018, received a unanimous vote by the Senate Judicial Confirmation Committee and was confirmed unanimously by the full Senate. She was a finalist for a vacancy on the Utah Supreme Court in 2022.
Utah’s Judicial Performance Evaluation Commission voted unanimously in 2022 that she should be retained, and 75% of voters in red-state Utah were in favor of keeping her on the bench.
Elizabeth Rasmussen, executive director of the group that pushed through the 2018 ballot initiative, Better Boundaries, sent out a fundraising email in response to the president’s post. She urged supporters to help hold the line and support the initiative that drew support across partisan lines.
“This win is worth defending. Outside voices may try to drag Utah into partisan fights, but our focus is right here at home. We are working to make sure fair maps are in place for the 2026 elections,” Rasmussen wrote. “Utah voters demanded fair maps. Utah’s courts upheld them. Now it’s up to all of us to make sure this win stands, without political interference.”
(Trent Nelson | The Salt Lake Tribune) Elizabeth Rasmussen of Better Boundaries speaks at a news conference in Salt Lake City on Monday, Aug. 25, 2025. A judge earlier ruled that the Legislature will have 30 days to adopt new maps that comply with the 2018 Better Boundaries initiative guidelines.
In court filings before the ruling, attorneys for the Legislature indicated that, if Gibson ruled against them, they would appeal the decision to the Utah Supreme Court or potentially to the U.S. Supreme Court.
Gibson has scheduled a status conference on the path forward for Friday morning.
Tribune reporter Emily Anderson Stern contributed to this story.