Cox is frequently considered a moderate Republican. In October 2015, Cox endorsed
Marco Rubio in the
2016 Republican presidential primary. After Rubio withdrew, Cox endorsed
Ted Cruz in March 2016. Cox said of
Donald Trump's campaign, "We care a lot about decorum. We care about our neighbors. We are a good, kind people. He does not represent neither goodness nor kindness." He said he would not support Trump if he won the Republican nomination: "I think he's disingenuous. I think he's dangerous. I think he represents the worst of what our great country stands for... I won't vote for
Hillary [Clinton], but I won't vote for Trump, either." Cox later changed course and said in 2020 that he supported Trump but did not vote for him in the
2016 or the
2020 presidential election. After the
2021 United States Capitol attack, Cox said Trump was responsible for inciting the violence and called on him to resign. On July 14, 2024, Cox released a letter endorsing Trump. In it, he wrote of a
failed Trump assassination attempt: "I want you to know that I truly believe that God had a hand in saving you...I also hesitate to even imagine what would have happened to our country if your life had not been miraculously spared... Your life was spared. Now, because of that miracle, you have the opportunity to do something that no other person on earth can do right now: unify and save our country." Cox added that he believed that only Trump could unite the U.S. citizenry and prevent the country from being torn apart.
Abortion Cox describes himself as
"pro-life". He opposes abortion except in cases of rape, incest, or danger to the life of the mother. In May 2022, after the
leaking of the draft opinion to overturn Roe v. Wade, Cox expressed support for the decision, but decried the leak, saying, "While we are encouraged and optimistic at the possibility that the abortion law will be left to the duly elected representatives of the states, draft rulings are not actual rulings and leaked drafts are a dangerous violation of court protocol and deliberations." On June 24, 2022, Cox expressed his support for the
overturning of Roe v. Wade and said: "This administration has been dedicated to giving a voice to the most vulnerable in our society, including the unborn. We wholeheartedly support this Supreme Court ruling and are encouraged to see abortion law will be left to elected state representatives. As pro-life advocates, this administration is equally committed to supporting women and families in Utah. We all need to do more to support mothers, pregnant women, and children facing poverty and trauma." In March 2023, Cox signed a bill banning abortion clinics from operating in Utah and requiring abortions to be performed in a hospital. The law was issued a temporary injunction by Third District Court Judge Andrew Stone a day before it was to take effect.
Environment Cox opposes the use of the
Antiquities Act to create
national monuments, saying that he believes monument designations hurt the landscapes they are meant to protect. He has expressed opposition to the restored boundaries of
Bears Ears National Monument and
Grand Staircase–Escalante National Monument, and to the creation of
Baaj Nwaavjo I'tah Kukveni – Ancestral Footprints of the Grand Canyon National Monument.
Guns In February 2021, Cox signed a
constitutional carry bill to allow individuals to carry a firearm in public without a permit, making Utah the 17th state to do so. At a June 2022 press conference, Cox said he was open to discussing with the legislature a
red flag law to permit a state court to order the temporary seizure of firearms from any person believed to present a danger.
Health On March 28, 2025, Cox signed into law a bill introduced by Republican state lawmaker
Stephanie Gricius banning from Utah's public water the addition of
fluoride, a mineral added to public water since 1945 to prevent
cavities. The law is to take effect on May 7, making Utah the first U.S. state to ban
water fluoridation. In her introduction, Gricius claimed that research shows fluoride "could have possible cognitive effects in children".
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has repeatedly raised concerns about fluoride's health risks. Major medical associations and public health groups, such as the
American Academy of Pediatrics, the
American Dental Association, and the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, support water fluoridation.
LGBT rights On June 13, 2016, Cox spoke at a vigil in Salt Lake City honoring those who died in the
Orlando nightclub shooting the day before. He surprised many when he apologized for mistreating schoolmates and his lack of support for the
LGBTQ community. He aimed part of his speech at the "straight community": Cox has further shown support for the LGBTQ+ community by supporting Governor Herbert's signing an executive order on January 21, 2020, to ban
conversion therapy after a bill to do so died in the State Senate in May 2019. In an April 2021 town hall meeting, Cox announced his
personal pronouns are "he", "him", and "his". In March 2022, Cox vetoed
HB11, which would ban transgender youth from participating in high school sports, noting that only four trans kids were playing high school sports in the state at the time. "These kids, they're just trying to stay alive", he said, referring to studies showing that 56% of trans youth have attempted suicide. On June 1, 2022, Cox became the first Utah governor to recognize June as LGBTQ+ Pride Month when he issued an official proclamation and encouraged Utahns to "be more welcoming and accepting of the LGBTQ community". On January 28, 2023, Cox signed Senate Bill 16, which bans gender-affirming surgery for patients under 18. On March 22, 2023, Cox signed HB228, codifying Utah's existing conversion therapy ban, previously approved through a 2020 administrative rule. It was the first conversion therapy ban in the country to pass a state legislature unanimously. On August 5, 2024, Cox and other state leaders shared unconfirmed reports that Olympic boxer
Imane Khelif was genetically male. Utah House Speaker Mike Schultz initially posted, "Enough is enough. Men don't belong in women's sports", which Cox shared, adding: "This should never happen to any of our female athletes. They deserve better." At the time of these statements, Khelif was qualified as a woman by the International Olympic Committee but had been disqualified by the Russian-led International Boxing Association. The results of any genetic or other sex-related tests are confidential under medical privacy rules. ==Personal life==