Theresa May, Condoleezza Rice, Mike Pompeo, Antony J. Blinken, Jacinda Ardern and Kevin Rudd praise Utah and talk turkey with leaders about navigating economic uncertainty
A handful of global leaders met in Salt Lake City on Wednesday and Thursday to speak at an invitation-only event before Utah’s top political, community and business leaders.
Former Prime Ministers Theresa May (United Kingdom), Jacinda Ardern (New Zealand) and Kevin Rudd (Australia/current ambassador to the U.S.) as well as former U.S. Secretaries of State Condoleezza Rice, Mike Pompeo and Antony J. Blinken were among those sharing insights and opinions regarding recent economic uncertainty and global market upheaval in the wake of President Donald Trump’s tariffs. The 2nd annual Crossroads of the World International Trade Summit, sponsored by Zions Bank and World Trade Center Utah, was held at the Grand America Hotel.
“These across-the-board tariffs, I think, are a recipe for a downward spiral,” Antony Blinken said in a forum-style conversation with Jeff Flake, the former U.S. Ambassador to Turkey, now serving as chairman of the board at 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.
“If we isolate and pull back, the world will move on without us,” Blinken warned. “The most important currency we have around the world is trust, our greatest asset is the voluntary relationships we’ve created that are the envy of other countries…my fear is that will erode.”
The World Trade Center Utah serves as the statewide voice for international business and aims to elevate Utah’s global status and international engagement. Natalie Gochnour, Director of the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute at the University of Utah, shared data showing why Utah is one of the best-performing states in the country: the top performing state in gross domestic product, with a growth rate of 4.5% (compared to the nation’s 2.8%), and its workforce is the third most “well-trained, well-educated in the country,” Gochnour said.
That’s good news for Utah companies, which are rapidly growing overseas and attracting global investors. In 2024, Utah exported $18.2 billion in goods to the world and imported $21.9 billion from 154 countries, according to the Gardner report. International trade contributed nearly $8 billion to the state’s gross domestic product and supports more than 70,000 jobs in the state.
Global leaders at the summit repeatedly assured attendees that the world is taking notice. They applauded Utah’s rapid acceleration and spirit of ingenuity despite a period of economic turmoil, and encouraged leaders not to react instantly to every news reel but rather to be prepared with scenario planning, compromise and restraint. Leaders were also warned against trade war legislation and dehumanization and encouraged to seek strategies for getting ahead of the curve when it comes to legislation on technological advancements that have the potential to harm.
“We have non-zero-sum thinking,” said Governor Spencer Cox, also a speaker at the two-day summit. Utah was recently named the best state in the nation for the third year in a row by U.S. News and World Report. “Utah is no longer this spunky upstart state trying to make our way on the stage. We are known for our people. The greatest resource we have is our people.”
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