Sen. John Curtis: Tension Between Three Branches Is Not A Crisis, It's A Civics Lesson

 

Utah Republican Sen. John Curtis told NBC's "Meet The Press" that President Trump's conflicts with the courts are "not a crisis but a civics lesson."

"When everything is a crisis, nothing is a crisis," he said. "This is actually what our founders intended, this tension, right, between the three different branches."

"I hope every high school civics teacher and every high school student is paying attention, because we're having a lesson in civics. It's not crisis, it's civics," he said. "President Trump has been very clear multiple times, he will obey court orders. So I don't see the crisis. And like I say, I see the civics lesson. Like, people need to be watching this and say: This is actually what our founders intended, this tension, right, between the three different branches."

KRISTEN WELKER: It is wonderful to have you here in person. We really appreciate it. I do want to start off by talking about this back and forth between President Trump and the judiciary. He said the federal judge who disagreed with him on his deportation orders should be impeached. The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, John Roberts, made an uncharacteristic comment saying, quote, "Impeachment is not an appropriate response to a judicial decision." Do you believe this judge should be impeached, Senator?

SENATOR JOHN CURTIS: Well, first of all, let me say I hope every high school civics teacher and every high school student is paying attention, because we're having a lesson in civics. It's not crisis, it's civics. And our founders created a system where are these tugs and pulls between the three branches.

And it's messy sometimes. But that's the beauty of the Constitution. And, you know, you can talk impeachment and you can throw it out there. That's what you could do. But the reality of it is, it takes two thirds of the Senate to impeach. We know that's not going to happen.

KRISTEN WELKER: Do you think it's appropriate for President Trump to be talking about impeachment in the context of this federal judge?

SENATOR JOHN CURTIS: So listen, I would never be the one to say to the President what he can say and what he can't say. I'm going to tell you, if it were me I probably wouldn't be poking the people that are going to make decisions about me. But that's me. And the President's going to do what the President does.

KRISTEN WELKER: And just to button this up, I mean, you heard Leader Schumer say he thinks this is a constitutional crisis. It sounds like you wouldn't go that far.

SENATOR JOHN CURTIS: Well, listen, it's easy to throw out. And by the way, when everything's a crisis, nothing is a crisis. President Trump has been very clear multiple times, he will obey court orders. So I don't see the crisis. And like I say, I see the civics lesson.

Like, people need to be watching this and say, "This is actually what our founders intended, this tension, right, between the three different branches." And Congress has our role in this, and you could fairly say we need to do more. And I'm with you, right? And I think a lot of this opens up for the President when we don't do our job.

KRISTEN WELKER: Are you confident that the Trump administration's actions here in this specific case are legal?

SENATOR JOHN CURTIS: When you say specific case, you're referring to the flights?

KRISTEN WELKER: Yes, the flights. The deportation flights to El Salvador--

SENATOR JOHN CURTIS: You know, like you, I'm watching all this, I'm trying to gather information. I'm not a lawyer, so let's let this play out. And I think that's the beauty of the courts, is having confidence that it will play out and we'll get to the right answer.

https://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2025/03/23/sen_john_curtis_tension_between_three_branches_is_not_a_crisis_its_a_civics_lesson.html