Samuel Benson
Trump's game of global Monopoly
Samuel Benson, Deseret News | Posted Feb. 15 - 6:11 p.m.
Since taking office, President Donald Trump has flirted with annexing Canada and Greenland. He has suggested retaking control of the Panama Canal. And this week, he laid out his plan to move Palestinians out of Gaza and rebuild the region.
Quakers cite religious liberty in lawsuit against immigration raids on churches
Samuel Benson, Deseret News | Posted Feb. 2 - 8:32 a.m.
A group of Quakers is challenging the Trump administration's immigration policy on the grounds of religious liberty.
As Trump's nominee hearings begin, Sen. John Curtis calls for 'seriousness' from senators
Samuel Benson, Deseret News | Posted Jan. 15 - 9:59 a.m.
As confirmation hearings begin for President-elect Donald Trump's Cabinet nominees, Sen. John Curtis called on his Senate colleagues to carefully consider their roles.
The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square will not perform at second Trump inauguration
Samuel Benson, Deseret News | Posted Jan. 14 - 9:17 a.m.
The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square will not perform at President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration ceremony next week, Choir president Mike Leavitt confirmed.
On front lines of Trump's impending trade war, an 'unflappable' Latter-day Saint
Samuel Benson, Deseret News | Posted Jan. 13 - 5:15 p.m.
President-elect Donald Trump is ruffling feathers globally by threatening "economic force" toward North American allies. The responsibility of carrying out those promises will likely fall to a soft-spoken Latter-day Saint.
Tracking Trump's Day 1 promises
Samuel Benson, Deseret News | Posted Jan. 9 - 10:03 p.m.
President-elect Donald Trump vows to waste little time in rolling out his policy priorities.
Utah delegation responds to Trump's certification victory
Samuel Benson, Deseret News | Posted Jan. 6 - 8:06 p.m.
In a brief and seamless ceremony Monday afternoon, the U.S. Congress affirmed President-elect Donald Trump and Vice President-elect JD Vance winners of the 2024 presidential election.
Fewer Christians, more 'nones': Congress' new religious breakdown
Samuel Benson, Deseret News | Posted Jan. 6 - 10:13 a.m.
As a growing share of U.S. adults turns away from religion, Christianity still thrives in one American institution: the U.S. Congress.
The Utahns that helped Trump go viral
Samuel Benson, Deseret News | Posted Dec. 25 - 9:30 p.m.
The request from Donald Trump's campaign was simple enough: Take the raw video, splice it up and upload it on TikTok as soon as possible.
Poll: Trump's policy promises garner widespread support from Utahns
Samuel Benson, Deseret News | Posted Dec. 24 - 9:05 p.m.
Utahns are largely supportive of President-elect Donald Trump's policy promises, including his plans to conduct deportations and reduce U.S. involvement abroad, a new poll found.
John Curtis' search for consensus
Samuel Benson, Deseret News | Posted Dec. 17 - 1:01 p.m.
Playing postlude to Sen. Mitt Romney is tricky business. Sen.-elect John Curtis says the most frequent question he gets is whether he'll be the "next Romney."
What do Americans really think of Trump's deportation plans?
Samuel Benson, Deseret News | Posted Dec. 15 - 10:52 a.m.
The knee-jerk reaction for many pundits was to declare what President-elect Donald Trump's victory meant for America. A more predictable route, would be to declare what Trump's victory did not mean.
Lara Trump leaves RNC, eyes Senate seat
Samuel Benson, Deseret News | Posted Dec. 9 - 1:14 p.m.
Lara Trump will step down from her position as co-chair of the Republican National Committee, she announced on social media Sunday.
Should Biden pardon Trump?
Samuel Benson, Deseret News | Posted Dec. 7 - 12:17 p.m.
Some are calling for President Joe Biden to pardon President-elect Donald Trump, after the President pardoned his son, Hunter Biden.
Anti-abortion advocates can't sink RFK Jr., so they'll try to win him over
Samuel Benson, Deseret News | Posted Dec. 1 - 7:53 a.m.
President elect-Donald Trump's nominee to lead the Department of Health and Human Services has taken pro-abortion positions, causing worry from anti-abortion activists.
Trump nominates Latter-day Saint lawyer as his trade chief
Samuel Benson, Deseret News | Posted Nov. 27 - 8:07 p.m.
President-elect Donald Trump has nominated a Latter-day Saint to a key administration position, Trump announced Tuesday evening.
Top Trump aide faces allegations he engaged in pay-to-play scheme with Cabinet hopefuls
Samuel Benson, Deseret News | Posted Nov. 26 - 7:35 p.m.
A top adviser to president-elect Donald Trump is facing allegations he solicited payments from potential Cabinet appointees in recent months, CNN first reported Monday.
Why Trump won: 5 theories
Samuel Benson, Deseret News | Posted Nov. 10 - 4:55 p.m.
Autopsies of Kamala Harris' loss will roll out in the coming weeks; analyses of President-elect Donald Trump's victory will follow. Here are five possibilities of why Trump won.
Trump promises to protect Christians. What about Christian refugees?
Samuel Benson, Deseret News | Posted Nov. 1 - 5:14 p.m.
Former President Donald Trump has pledged to protect Christians from religious persecution, but his refugee plans could contradict this promise.
RFK Jr. wants a spot in Trump's Cabinet. John Stockton likes the idea
Samuel Benson, Deseret News | Posted Oct. 30 - 9:10 p.m.
This week, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. claimed that Donald Trump has promised him "control" over the federal government's public health agencies, should Trump win the election — though the Trump campaign said those discussions hadn't happened yet.
Harris makes closing argument against Trump
Samuel Benson, Deseret News | Posted Oct. 29 - 11:14 p.m.
Vice President Kamala Harris pledged to be a unifying candidate for all Americans in a speech near the National Mall on Tuesday, offering a final argument against former President Donald Trump.
Utah won't decide the presidential election, but these Utahns might
Samuel Benson, Deseret News | Posted Oct. 27 - 7:18 a.m.
This swing state's newest campaigners are Utahns.
The day after Election Day
Samuel Benson, Deseret News | Posted Oct. 25 - 3:12 p.m.
With less than two weeks until Election Day, the country will soon learn whether we learned our lesson. In 2022, Congress passed the Electoral Count Reform and Presidential Transition Improvement Act, a product of months of debate over how to avoid a repeat of 2020.
John Kelly, Trump's former chief of staff, says former president puts self over Constitution
Samuel Benson, Deseret News | Posted Oct. 23 - 6:31 p.m.
John Kelly, former White House chief of staff to Donald Trump, said his former boss meets the definition of a "fascist" and said he believes Trump puts himself over the Constitution.
