President Trump is demanding that Utah Republicans keep all four of the state’s congressional districts red, after a judge ruled that lawmakers had improperly overruled an independent redistricting commission in order to favor the GOP. The state supreme court has also affirmed that the legislature cannot simply disempower a body that was created by statewide vote.

Utah, which Mr. Trump won by more than 20 points last year, approved the creation of a redistricting commission on a ballot initiative vote in 2018. Ahead of redistricting for the 2022 elections, the Republican-dominated state legislature voted to turn the commission into a simple advisory body rather than one that could draw maps. 

On Monday, a judge ruled that the maps must be thrown out because the legislature did not have the power to strip the commission of its responsibilities. On Wednesday, the president said that the state legislature must ensure that the four districts remain solidly Republican. 

“Monday’s Court Order in Utah is absolutely Unconstitutional. How did such a wonderful Republican State like Utah, which I won in every Election, end up with so many Radical Left Judges?” the president wrote on Truth Social on Wednesday night. 

“All Citizens of Utah should be outraged at their activist Judiciary, which wants to take away our Congressional advantage, and will do everything possible to do so,” he said. “The Utah GOP has to STAY UNITED, and make sure their four terrific Republican Congressmen stay right where they are!”

The legislature has until September 24 to draw the new maps, which could see lawmakers create one blue district around Salt Lake County, which Vice President Kamala Harris won by 10 points last year. The lawmakers also have the power to draw another map that tilts toward Republicans, though in a midterm election it is unclear what kind of risks they would be willing to take. 

Senator Mike Lee has been especially outspoken about this case, arguing that the legislature has the power to draw maps as it sees fit regardless of the redistricting commission. 

“This is a great day for Utah’s Democrats — who haven’t controlled the Utah legislature in many, many decades (because most Utah voters don’t like what the Democratic Party is selling), and have found a clever way to even the score by enlisting the help of their judicial allies,” he wrote on X on Tuesday. 

It is unlikely that the Utah supreme court will weigh in on the matter should Republicans choose to appeal the decision. Last year, after hearing an appeal on a ruling from the lower court judge, the court wrote unanimously that the legislature could not unilaterally strip away power from a government body approved by voters. 

“We hold that when Utahns exercise their right to reform the government through a citizen initiative, their exercise of these rights is protected from government infringement,” the five justices, all of whom were appointed by Republican governors, wrote at the time. 

“This means that government-reform initiatives are constitutionally protected from unfettered legislative amendment, repeal, or replacement. Although the Legislature has authority to amend or repeal statutes, it is well settled that legislative action cannot unduly infringe or restrain the exercise of constitutional rights,” the jurists said.