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Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Antony Blinken speaks in Utah about Ukraine, Trump's cuts to foreign aid and tariffs
Antony Blinken's stepfather was held in a Nazi death camp for two years during World War II. He escaped with a friend during a forced march in Bavaria, and as they ran for their lives they came upon a tank, Blinken said. The tank had a five-pointed star on it, and as the men approached an American G.I. poked his head out of the top. Blinken's stepfather then said the three English words he knew, 'God bless America.' Blinken, the first Jewish U.S. secretary of state, told the story during a conversation in Salt Lake City on Thursday with former U.S. Ambassador to Turkey Jeff Flake, who is now chairman of the board at World Trade Center Utah. After serving for four years during the Biden administration, Blinken said he is now 'retired,' which means he's primarily spending time with his two young children, who are 6 and 5 years old. During his remarks to Utah's political and business leaders at the Crossroads of the World International Trade Summit, a two-day, invitation-only event sponsored by Zions Bank and World Trade Center Utah, Blinken called for the U.S. to remain the 'last, best hope' of the world by continuing to assert global leadership. He also spoke about why he felt it was important for the U.S. to back Ukraine after Russia invaded in 2022, and the war in Gaza, following the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas terrorist attacks. Blinken was among the many global leaders who were in Salt Lake City on Wednesday and Thursday to speak at the summit. Earlier on Thursday, former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice spoke with Harris Simmons, chairman and CEO of Zions Bancorporation. Her remarks were off the record. Simmons told the Deseret News that tariffs and supply chain issues are top of mind for people at the summit. 'Secretary Rice made the observation that we're not going back to a China where we have the kind of supply chain that has existed for the last two to three decades — that's a thing of the past," he said. That's different, he said, than what was expected after China joined the World Trade Organization, and will lead businesses to review their supply chains. 'We all hope that President (Donald) Trump is successful in negotiating trade deals that are in the mutual interest of the U.S. and our trading partners,' Simmons said. 'It is going to cause some disruption.' In addition to Blinken and Rice, Thursday's summit attendees also heard from former U.K. Prime Minister Theresa May, former Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and former New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern. At the beginning of their conversation, Flake joked about getting to question a 'tough boss.' As secretary of state, Blinken oversaw Flake during his time as ambassador to Turkey. Flake served during a tenuous time in the region, including during the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan — which did not come up during his conversation with Blinken — and the wars in Ukraine and Gaza, which they did discuss. Blinken had high praise for Flake and his service as ambassador. He called Flake 'the right person in the right place at the right time.' President Trump is taking a very different approach to foreign policy than the Biden administration did, asserting an 'America first' policy on the global stage that includes tariffs, a reduction in foreign aid and criticism of even close allies. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is also attempting to negotiate a ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia, and he and special envoy Steven Witkoff are also trying to stop the fighting in Gaza between Israel and Hamas. Blinken said he hopes the U.S. will maintain its position as a leader in the world. 'The world doesn't organize itself,' he said. The lack of American leadership could lead to a vacuum that is filled by others looking to take its place. His second concern is related to the Trump administration's decision to cut funds for USAID and other foreign aid organizations. 'The return on that investment is extraordinary,' he said. Without those tools of soft power, the U.S. will need to find other ways to communicate and cooperate with others, he said. In 2022, when Russia invaded Ukraine for the second time in a decade, Blinken said the Biden administration believed strongly they had to help them. 'This was an aggression not just against Ukraine, but against the very principles that had been at the heart of the international system since the end of World War II,' he said. Blinken said if they had let that aggression go forward, others would think they could also get away with it, pointing specifically to China's ambitions with Taiwan. He said he believes if the ceasefire and peace deal the Trump administration is trying to negotiate moves forward, it will just give Russian President Vladimir Putin time to retrench and rebuild his forces. To stop that, he said, the U.S. should support Europe's aims to put troops along the demarcation line, or the U.S. should welcome Ukraine into NATO. The Trump administration says they want to stop the killing of troops and civilians on both sides of the border. While its tough to be sure, estimates are that more than half a million soldiers and civilians have been killed in the war. Trump is also staunchly opposed to inviting Ukraine to join NATO, and instead has signed a critical minerals agreement with Kyiv to strengthen economic ties between the two countries. Flake asked Blinken whether Trump's decisions to put additional tariffs on goods coming into the U.S. from China was a good decision. Blinken said he agreed with the tariffs Trump levied during his first four years in office, which were continued during the Biden administration, but said instead of additional tariffs President Joe Biden took a different approach with China. In order to counter some of China's trade practices, Biden wanted to 'invest in ourselves,' by spending money on infrastructure and to boost chip manufacturing. The administration also tried to align with European and other allies to counter China's dominance in manufacturing. China manufactures one-third of the goods consumed across the world, he said. Blinken said decoupling U.S. and Chinese markets is a 'fantasy,' and said instead the U.S. should engage in 'derisking.' On Trump's decision to levy 10% across the board tariffs, Blinken said the industrial tax increase will be a 'sea change' for the global economy. He said he hopes the tariffs will eventually be much more narrowly focused. Blinken called the Hamas attacks 'one of the most horrific events in my lifetime. The worst slaughter of Jews since the Holocaust.' The 'deepest poison' in the world is dehumanization, Blinken said. When that sets in, everything bad is so much easier, and everything good is so much harder, he said. 'Nowhere is that more clear, evident, powerful than in the Middle East,' he said. Blinken said the Biden administration felt strongly they had to defend Israel after Hamas attacked, while also trying to contain the fighting so it didn't become a regional conflict. He also expressed concerns about the Palestinians and how they have suffered because of Hamas. A final agreement, Blinken said, should include a state for Palestinians — something Trump has said he doesn't support. At the end of his remarks, Blinken circled back to the anecdote he told about his stepfather at the beginning. He said he hopes the U.S. will maintain the trust of its allies so it can remain the world's 'last, best hope.'
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Gov. Cox: Utah is no longer a ‘spunky upstart'
Utah has arrived. It's no longer the 'spunky upstart' trying to make its way onto the stage, Gov. Spencer Cox said in remarks to a room full of the state's political and business leaders. After Utah was named the best state in the nation for the third year in a row by U.S. News and World Report, Cox is taking a victory lap of sorts, celebrating the strong human capital he sees as the basis for the state's success. Cox spoke about Utah's success on Thursday at the Crossroads of the World International Trade Summit, a two-day, invitation-only event sponsored by Zions Bank and World Trade Center Utah that invited 'world leaders and top business minds to discuss the uncertainties, trends, and opportunities surrounding international business.' Utah does well in rankings, Cox said, because the state's residents don't engage in zero-sum thinking. Instead, the state's residents embrace an abundance mentality, he said. Cox started his remarks by praising the book 'Superabundance,' written by Utah Tech University professor Gale Pooley. The book counters the idea popularized by Paul Ehrlich in the 1960s that the world's growing population would be a strain on resources, leading to widespread famine and human suffering. 'The thing is that the greatest resource we have are our people, human beings,' Cox said. 'You see all of those minerals, all of those commodities, all of those important things are just atoms. They're basically worthless. They don't mean anything until you put human knowledge and ingenuity behind them.' Natalie Gochnour, director of the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute at the University of Utah, who spoke at the summit earlier on Thursday, shared some of the numbers behind the state's numerous awards. Utah's workforce is the third most 'well-trained, well-educated' in the country,' Gochnour said. The state also has the lowest poverty rate in the country, and, when adjusted for cost of living, Utah also has the highest median household income in the country. A study released by the institute Thursday also showed Utah is punching above its weight in international trade. The state had $18.2 billion in merchandise exports and $21.9 billion in imports in 2024. The study said international trade supports over 70,000 jobs in the state. Utah's largest trading partners are the United Kingdom, Canada, China and Mexico. Amid her discussion of the state's international exports, Gochnour brought up the tariffs recently levied by the Trump administration on most of the country's trading partners. She said she wasn't going to 'make a judgement' about the policy decision, and said there could be some mid- or long-term benefits to the administration's economic policies, but said economists are mostly united in their belief that tariffs will hurt trade and the economy. Tariffs could make housing more expensive at a time when the state is already struggling, she said, and a recent drop in consumer confidence is also worrying.
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Opinion: The ‘Utah way' rises again
It's hard to overstate the significance of Utah being chosen, for the third straight year, as the best state in the union according to U.S. News & World Report. This achievement is a testament to the state's leadership — including those in the political, business, academic and religious realms — and to its people. It is also a testament to the 'Utah way,' something cited by the publication's editors. That phrase connotes the state's unique culture of community, as well as its ability to tackle difficult issues with optimism, energy and the spirit of constructive compromise and relationship-building. It doesn't always manifest itself, but when it does, great things happen. One of this week's top news stories illustrates this trait well. Trade with Canada On Tuesday, President Trump met with Canada's new prime minister, Mark Carney, in the Oval Office. The meeting was cordial, but there was an underlying tension between the two leaders because of recently enacted tariffs and counter tariffs, and because Trump has spoken about making Canada the 51st state. Carney said his country was 'not for sale.' Trump responded, 'Time will tell.' While these tensions have simmered for months, Utah has been the only state to see opportunity amid uncertainty. In April, Gov. Spencer Cox led a delegation of business, government, academic and political leaders to Canada on a trade mission. At a time when trade is being disrupted, Utah's leaders saw a chance to pitch the state as the best place in the nation to do business. The trip forged new friendships, strengthened existing ones and built economic ties. Utahns involved in mineral extraction connected with Canadian companies, making supply chain agreements to process raw materials mined in Utah. Defense industry companies strengthened their supply chain ties with Canada, as well. The trip was an outward sign of something that ought to be obvious to all: current conditions are only temporary. That was also noted at the second annual Crossroads of the World International Trade Summit, hosted by World Trade Center Utah and Zions Bank this week. Utah is willing to travel to Canada, Mexico, Ukraine and many other places to bring mutual opportunities for those countries and for Utah. It then sets up opportunities to bring world leaders here in all aspects of government and business, a list this week that includes former prime ministers and secretaries of state. 'It just shows once again that Utah is not just the crossroads of the West, it's a crossroads of the world,' Jeff Flake, former U.S. ambassador to Turkey and current chairman of World Trade Center Utah's Board of Directors, told the Deseret News. Now, when tensions are at their highest, is the best time for a Western U.S. state to take advantage of the dearth of communication between allies and make impressions that will last. In other words, Utah is being acknowledged as the best place to live and a rich place to do business — on a global scale. 'This (current situation) will work itself out at some point, and when it does, I'm here to tell you that Utah and Ontario will have even stronger relationships because of it,' Cox said in a speech. This, too, is an example of the Utah way. Last year, Utah exported $1.5 billion worth of goods, minerals and technology to Canada, and it imported $4.7 billion. That is a relationship worth cultivating. Constructive compromises As for the Utah way, many people cite the state's unique solutions to problems. For example, something known as the 'Utah Compromise' was enacted in 2015 to protect the rights of LGTBQ+ people while also preserving religious liberty. This compromise has helped Utah avoid many of the contentious political confrontations that affect other states. Just as important is something known as the 'Utah Compact,' which established five principles upon which immigration laws should be based. Reaffirmed in 2019, it calls for preserving families and recognizing 'the economic role immigrants play as workers and taxpayers.' While endorsing the rule of law, it said, 'Local law enforcement resources should focus on criminal activities, not civil violations of federal code.' Both of these seem much more relevant today than they were when first drafted. Begins at home The U.S. News & World Report account mentioned something else: 'Those in the know also note the intangible aspects of community and respect — at the dinner table or elsewhere — that fuel a phenomenon termed the 'Utah way.' To sum it up: In a politically divisive era, people actually talk to each other and try to work through issues.' Faith is part of that component. Service plays a strong role. Care for others is part of that ethic. That is a unique source of strength in a world that grows increasingly more isolated and self-absorbed. The dinner table is far more powerful than a legislative negotiation table. A home is more powerful than a Capitol building or city hall. Though it is far from perfect nor free from problems and challenges, Utah can draw upon this strength to reimagine and forge solutions to those challenges — whether they involve international trade, discrimination, immigration or a host of other problems.
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Why is the world coming to Utah?
Some of the world's most influential experts on international relations will convene in Salt Lake City this week to help Utah businesses navigate the upheaval of global markets. The second annual Crossroads of the World International Trade Summit will feature conversations with three former U.S. secretaries of state and two former prime ministers. 'It just shows once again that Utah is not just the crossroads of the West, it's a crossroads of the world,' said Jeff Flake, former U.S. ambassador to Turkey, in a Deseret News interview. 'There are not many gatherings anywhere — in Washington, D.C., or New York, or L.A. — that have three former secretaries of state, along with former heads of state, ambassadors. So it just shows again that Utah is a significant player in international trade." Sponsoring the event is the state's largest financial institution, Zions Bank, and the state's nonprofit arm for international business outreach, World Trade Center Utah, which recently led a trade mission with Gov. Spencer Cox to Canada. On Wednesday, attendees will hear from Flake, former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, a number of Utah executives, legislators and manufacturers, and Presiding Bishop Gérald Caussé of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. On Thursday, attendees will hear from Cox, former secretaries of state Antony Blinken and Condoleezza Rice, former prime ministers Jacinda Ardern of New Zealand and Theresa May of the United Kingdom, and Australia Ambassador to the U.S. Kevin Rudd. 'It's an impressive list that I don't think most states could do,' said Shad Morris, the director of the Whitmore Global Business Center at Brigham Young University's Marriott School. The fact that these high-profile players on the world stage are considering Utah's important role during a period of economic turmoil is a sign that the state's rapid acceleration is being noticed worldwide, Morris said. Over the past decade, Utah has led the nation in GDP growth, according to the University of Utah's Kem C. Gardner Institute, and was the fastest growing state in the nation according to the most recent census. 'Coming to Utah just for this I think shows that Utah has been doing something right,' Morris told the Deseret News. 'In the way we're dealing with international trade, with economic policy, with business development.' Building on past momentum This year's event hopes to build on momentum from World Trade Center Utah's first global summit in 2024, which featured remarks from former President George W. Bush, former Mexican President Vicente Fox and past Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper. World Trade Center Utah CEO Jonathan Freedman, who has held the position since 2023, said his goal is for the annual event to become a 'world-class' conference 'that just happens to be in Utah.' 'We want it to be known around the world,' Freedman said. Appointing Flake as the board chairman for World Trade Center Utah in September was a big step in this direction, Freedman said. Other board members with international experience, including Scott Anderson, the former CEO of Zions Bank, contribute to World Trade Center Utah's strength which is its 'global network,' Freedman said. But in addition to raising Utah's status on the global stage, events like Crossroads of the World provide essential resources for the small, medium and large businesses that make up the membership of World Trade Center Utah, Freedman said. The organization has created a tariff dashboard to help Utah businesses navigate the complex timeline of executive orders, retaliatory actions and temporary pauses that have filled the months since President Donald Trump started his second term. Many of the companies Freedman works with are struggling to plan for the future as the price of imported goods varies from day to day, he said. For some, the uncertainty has ruined their operations entirely. 'Companies need predictability, they need certainty, and they need to know where they can turn for answers,' Freedman said. 'And although we do not have all the answers, we do not have a crystal ball, we can provide lots of resources to companies such as access to the best information.' Conversations on Wednesday will focus on how businesses can handle 'policy whiplash' and will give leaders the rare opportunity to engage with former officials from Republican, Democratic and foreign administrations who are able to speak candidly about the realities of global trade and foreign policy. 'Everyone is wondering how they navigate the situation we're in; it's a difficult environment for any companies here that rely on trade,' Flake said. 'A lot of other companies benefit from hearing those who are going through this, have gone through it before, and have experience.' Utah: A global hub? Freedman's hope is that as Utah shows an eagerness to strengthen ties with the world, the world will look to Utah as a hub for trade. 'I want people around the world to look at Utah as a source of answers and predictability, as a safe haven for investment, as a destination for a talented, skilled workforce,' Freedman said. 'These are all the things that we're proud of in Utah.' Utah already stands out from its competitors because of its highly educated population, according to Morris. The state has the third most well-trained adult population in the country in terms of post-secondary degrees, credentials and certificates, according to the Kem C. Gardner Institute. Morris has lived around the country and the world but says he has never lived in a place as entrepreneurial as Utah, from its 'Silicon Slopes' tech sector, to its university system, health care and life science industries. But one of the things that sets it apart most is its orientation toward the rest of the planet, Morris said. The state sends young people to countries around the world, and this exposure to the world has allowed Utah innovators to bring the world back home. 'We're not an insular or protectionist state,' Morris said. 'We're very much a state focused on growth and development and bringing in ideas, regardless of where they're coming from, that are good for the economy, for the people, for the culture, for society.'
