Sen. John Curtis STUNS CNBC Host Joe Kernen After Echoing Radical Amnesty Talking Points While Side-By-Side With Adam Schiff: ‘I Thought I’d Be Arguing with You, Not Senator Curtis’

Utah Senator John Curtis (R-UT), Mitt Romney’s replacement, went on national television on Wednesday to carry water for the radical Left.

While the nation reels from mass chaos at our airports following a disastrous DHS shutdown, you would think Republican and Democrat Senators would be focused on border security and functional infrastructure.

Instead, Curtis joined forces with none other than “Liddle” Adam Schiff to promote a bill aimed at restricting Prediction Markets.

LIVE SOON: I’m joining @SenAdamSchiff on @SquawkCNBC this morning to discuss our bill to hand predictive gambling market control back to the states. Tune in: https://t.co/SmU9y3X2qk

— Senator John Curtis (@SenJohnCurtis) March 25, 2026

But it wasn’t just the legislation that raised eyebrows, it was Curtis’s full-blown embrace of liberal amnesty talking points that left CNBC host Joe Kernen wondering which side of the aisle the Utah Republican actually sits on.

During the segment on CNBC’s Squawk Box, Kernen pressed the duo on the wide-open border and whether there should be a path to citizenship for those here illegally.

Rather than standing up for the rule of law and the millions of Americans demanding deportations, Curtis pivoted to a weak, “compassionate” defense that sounded like it was scripted by the DNC.

Curtis framed illegal entry not as a categorical violation requiring removal, but as a policy gap, suggesting that lawmakers have failed to define outcomes for those already in the country unlawfully.

Joe Kernen:
Do we need, then, to—anyone who’s here illegally that hasn’t committed a crime—Senator Curtis, should there be a path to citizenship? Is that what compassion means to you, or should these people not be allowed to stay?

Sen. Curtis:
Well, then let me ask you a question. Is there any law—any rule broken in our country—where we don’t have a consequence defined? So why don’t we have a consequence defined when it comes to coming into this country without documentation? We continue to allow these people to be here, but we haven’t defined what their consequence is.

Joe Kernen:
So that’s an inaction from policymakers?

Sen. Curtis:
Absolutely.

Joe Kernen:
All right. So what would you say we need to do, then? What’s your answer to that? I guess it’s like every other—

Sen. Curtis:
So first of all, you have to define amnesty.

Joe Kernen:
“Is that like what ‘is,’ is?”

Sen. Curtis:
But any other crime that’s committed here in our country, we define what—we define what the punishment is. And we’ve failed to do that in this case.

Joe Kernen:
Senator Schiff? I thought I’d be arguing with you, not Senator Curtis.

WATCH:

Utah’s John Curtis stands next to Adam Schiff, sounds like a Democrat trying to find ways for illegals to stay in the country:

Kernen: “What’s your answer? Is it amnesty?”

Curtis: “First of all, you have to define amnesty.”

Kernen, in disbelief: “Is that like what ‘is,’ is?”… pic.twitter.com/gMnBcBorAr

— Western Lensman (@WesternLensman) March 25, 2026

The Gateway Pundit has previously reported on John Curtis’s questionable “Republican” credentials, from his past as a literal Democrat to his “Climate Caucus” antics.

It can be recalled that, fresh off his election to replace Senator Mitt Romney, Curtis was already facing backlash from staunch conservatives after remarks downplaying former President Donald Trump’s mandate.

In an interview with ABC News’ Jonathan Karl, Curtis emphasized his independence, stating he will not serve as a “rubber stamp” for Trump’s agenda, sparking a fiery reaction from MAGA loyalists.

RINO: Senator Romney’s replacement is 10X worse than Mitt. Utah Senator-elect John Curtis was a Democrat but switched parties to run for office. His top priority is battling climate change and he opposes most of Trump’s cabinet picks. pic.twitter.com/WDCDoRTmbu

— @amuse (@amuse) December 23, 2024