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Tribune editorial: Note to America: Mike Lee does not speak for Utah.

Lee speaks for his true constituency, one Donald Trump.

(J. Scott Applewhite | AP) Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, smiles as he heads to a closed-door luncheon with fellow Republicans at the Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2026.

(J. Scott Applewhite | AP) Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, smiles as he heads to a closed-door luncheon with fellow Republicans at the Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2026.

Official documents and normal news reports generally refer to Sen. Mike Lee as representing Utah.

The label seems increasingly inaccurate.

The other day Lee was the only senator to object to a bill that would otherwise have passed the chamber. It was a bipartisan bill that would require any president to receive congressional approval before knocking down any building or other monument named after a former president of the United States.

With Donald Trump continually making demands that his name be added to the facade of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts — and making threats to close or demolish it if he doesn’t get his way — congressional action to ban such a move seems like a good idea.

Lee didn’t think so. He made up some palaver about how the bill was a waste of the Senate’s time, though all he had to do to get the measure through and move on to other business was to keep quiet for five seconds.

The senator’s true constituency, one Donald Trump, didn’t want his power limited in such a way. Or any way. So Lee spoke up for him.

So once again, the national news media took a moment to focus on Lee’s slavish behavior, and identify him as being from Utah.

Note to America, from Utah: Mike Lee is not one of us.

Editorials represent the opinions of The Salt Lake Tribune editorial board, which operates independently from the newsroom.

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