Mike Kennedy breaks down the good and bad of Trump's second term

SALT LAKE CITY — Republican Rep. Mike Kennedy said Friday that the second term of President Donald Trump has been "unratable," for better or for worse.

While he is not sure of how to rate the past two years, he has no doubt that Trump will be remembered 50 years from now.

"They are going to have to rate President Trump as one of the most notable presidents in the history of our country," Kennedy said. "For one reason or another."

Kennedy, a staunch conservative who is running for reelection in the 4th Congressional District, entered office just a few weeks before Trump returned to the White House.

Kennedy received a "MAGA" hat signed by Trump for his birthday last year. He said he plans to keep it as an "heirloom" because this is such a "remarkable time" for America.

Top Utah leaders meet

On Friday, Kennedy hosted his semiannual private meeting with Utah's top elected officials, including Gov. Spencer Cox and Reps. Blake Moore and Celeste Maloy.

The discussion touched on energy policy, water infrastructure, Olympics preparation — and transparency around data centers.

Artificial intelligence warehouses became a top political issue in Utah this year after a massive data center proposal sailed through a military economic development board with little public input.

"We don't ruin the people, and we don't ruin the technology," Kennedy concluded.

On top of hearing the needs of Utah officials, Kennedy helped to translate the impactful decisions coming out of Washington, D.C.

In an interview with the Deseret News, Kennedy explained why giving a simple rating for Trump's second term is not so simple.

Deportations 'good and bad'

On immigration, for example, Kennedy praises the president for cutting border crossings from their highest level in U.S. history, of up to 250,000 per month, down to zero.

But the impacts of the mass deportation of immigrants in the country illegally have been "good and bad," according to Kennedy.

While he applauds the expulsion of immigrants who are convicted criminals, which last year accounted for roughly 30% of deportations, the rest should be made on a "one-on-one basis."

Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrests hit highs this summer, according to The New York Times, as the administration engages in smaller raids while also expanding the pool of potential deportees.

Advocates have hailed the crackdown as a way to lower crime and housing prices. Critics say deportations split families and shrink the labor pool.

Concern of noncitizens voting

On election security, Kennedy shares the Trump administration's concern of noncitizens voting in the upcoming midterm elections.

New Jersey officials revealed last month that 6,600 noncitizens had been added to their voter registration rolls since 2023 due to a software error. About 340 voted, they said.

In April of last year, Kennedy voted to pass the SAVE Act, a bill co-sponsored by Sen. Mike Lee that would require verification of citizenship to vote in federal elections.

The bill has failed to make progress in the Senate, despite Lee's efforts, due to criticism that it would centralize election administration.

Kennedy worries about election procedures in Democratic-led states like California and Illinois that could make cheating easier.

Kennedy on Trump-Henderson spat

But Kennedy sympathizes with Lt. Gov. Deidre Henderson in her recent back-and-forth with the Department of Justice about whether Utah must provide sensitive voter information.

The administration sued Utah in February, and later launched a personal investigation, after Henderson refused to hand over voters' Social Security numbers and birth dates to the DOJ.

Executive agencies say the information is necessary to vet voter rolls. Henderson argues there is no justification for states to abdicate their authority over election administration.

"I want my voter records kept confidential," Kennedy told the Deseret News.

He continued: "I appreciate the fact that our lieutenant governor is working to maintain security of the data that the federal government has on the citizens of our state."

The disagreement between the Trump administration and Henderson, Kennedy said, can play itself out in the courts.

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