Donald Trump ‘cares about Utah,’ top state lawmaker says after former president’s three-hour SLC visit

Former President Donald Trump touched down in Salt Lake City late Saturday afternoon — and never left the airport grounds — for a private fundraiser that lasted up to three hours.

The donor event, beginning just after 4 p.m., was staged at an undisclosed hangar near North Temple and 2400 West.

Prominent Utah Republicans, including Utah Gov. Spencer Cox; state Senate President Stuart Adams, R-Layton; Utah House Speaker Mike Schultz, R-Hooper; and state GOP Chair Robert Axson greeted their party’s standard-bearer.

Adams, through a spokesperson, said Trump spoke about the U.S. military, highlighting its strength, dedication and effectiveness.

Before the main donor event, a handful of top Utah political leaders sat down with the candidate for a roundtable, Schultz said Sunday. After that intimate gathering, the lawmaker said, Cox introduced Trump to a crowd of more than 500 donors and remarked that the state “worked better” with the former president’s administration.

Rep. Phil Lyman, R-Blanding, a Cox challenger who is running a write-in campaign for governor, tweeted that it was “fun to listen to a great president! Trump is such a genuine patriot!”

Hours before, the minimum ticket price was lowered to $1,000; down from a previous $3,300.

“They added a lower threshold,” Axson said Sunday, “to broaden the opportunity for folks who otherwise wouldn’t be able to do the higher-dollar amount.” The event raised about $5 million for the campaign, he said.

Trump “very clearly wanted to … spend time with us and hear what’s important to folks here in the state regarding energy independence, rural issues and economic development,“ Axson added. “[He] talked about the importance in having the strength necessary as a country to do what’s right and push back against evil and have a strong military that can protect us.”

Schultz, who has attended “a lot of Trump rallies” and is friends with the family, said he noticed a demeanor change in Trump in which the candidate kept the event “more positive.”

“To have President Trump come to Utah, just was amazing. He cares about Utah,” Schultz said. “That came across loud and clear at the event. … He didn’t have to stop in Utah.”

Riverton Mayor Trent Staggs tweeted that he was “honored” to be on hand for the former president’s visit.

On the outskirts of the hangar — secured by sniper teams and police patrols — more than 150 supporters attempted to catch a glimpse of the Republican presidential nominee. Lining the commercial street for a few blocks, backers held flags touting “Take America Back” and “Trump 2024.”

“He doesn’t come to Utah often,” said Rob Peterson, who traveled from Kaysville. “So this is an opportunity to see him. And hopefully, he sees us.”

Added Eric Veater, who came with Peterson: “I’ve been to a couple rallies already of his, and I just love the atmosphere. I love being a part of what Trump stands for. And I want to see his plane.”

Some supporters arrived several hours before Trump’s plane landed and stayed until after the candidate’s departure just after 7 p.m.

Hosted by former State Department official Marlon Bateman and entrepreneur Doug Quezada, Saturday’s donor reception at Salt Lake City International Airport served as a pit stop in Trump’s recent campaign swing that took him to Tucson, Ariz.; Los Angeles; the San Francisco Bay Area; and Las Vegas.